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Single Idea 7107

[filed under theme 15. Nature of Minds / B. Features of Minds / 4. Intentionality / a. Nature of intentionality ]

Full Idea

Consciousness is defined by intentionality. Through intentionality it transcends itself, it unifies itself by going outside itself.

Gist of Idea

Intentionality defines, transcends and unites consciousness

Source

Jean-Paul Sartre (Transcendence of the Ego [1937], I (A))

Book Ref

Sartre,Jean-Paul: 'The Transcendence of the Ego' [Routledge 2004], p.6

A Reaction

The standard view for a hundred years was Brentano's idea that intentionality defines the mind. Qualia are the modern rival. If I had to choose I think I would go for intentionality, but they may be naturally and metaphysically inseparable.

The 17 ideas with the same theme [what exactly is intentionality?]:

3364 All mental phenomena contain an object [Brentano]
7107 Intentionality defines, transcends and unites consciousness [Sartre]
3465 Either there is intrinsic intentionality, or everything has it [Searle]
3484 Water flowing downhill can be described as if it had intentionality [Searle]
3489 Intentional phenomena only make sense within a background [Searle]
3367 Both thought and language have intentionality [Kim]
2485 Do intentional states explain our behaviour? [Fodor]
15473 How does anything get outside itself? [Fodor, by Martin,CB]
4993 If a bird captures a worm, we could say its behaviour is 'about' the worm [Kirk,R]
11935 Physical powers like solubility and charge also have directedness [Molnar]
6543 Intentionality comes in degrees [Lycan]
6481 If intentional states are intrinsically about other things, what are their own properties? [Robinson,H]
4087 Intentionalism does not require that all mental states be propositional attitudes [Crane]
4095 Object-directed attitudes like love are just as significant as propositional attitudes [Crane]
4623 Propositional attitudes are not the only intentional states; there is also mental imagery [Heil]
4929 Dreams and imagery show the brain can generate awareness and meaning without input [Edelman/Tononi]
15018 Intentionality is too superficial to appear in the catalogue of ultimate physics [Sider]