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Single Idea 11935

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

Full Idea

Contrary to the Brentano Thesis, physical powers, such as solubility or electromagnetic charge, also have that direction toward something outside themselves that is typical of psychological attributes.

Gist of Idea

Physical powers like solubility and charge also have directedness

Source

George Molnar (Powers [1998], 3.4)

Book Ref

Molnar,George: 'Powers: a study in metaphysics', ed/tr. Mumford,Stephen [OUP 2003], p.63

A Reaction

I think this decisively undermines any strong thesis that 'intentionality is the mark of the mental'. I take thought to be just a fancy development of the physical powers of the physical world.

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]