Single Idea 3164

[catalogued under 15. Nature of Minds / B. Features of Minds / 4. Intentionality / b. Intentionality theories]

Full Idea

There can seem to be no escape from the "intentional circle" - the use of one intentional idiom always seems to presuppose the use of another.

Gist of Idea

Intentional explanations are always circular

Source

Georges Rey (Contemporary Philosophy of Mind [1997], 3.3)

Book Reference

Rey,Georges: 'Contemporary Philosophy of Mind' [Blackwell 1997], p.89


A Reaction

The best explanation of this is Conceptual Dualism (Papineau: Thinking about Consciousness). We are locked into dualist concepts because of our long-term ignorance about the brain.