Intentionality
An Essay in the Philosophy of Mind
1st Edition
Published on 31. May 1983
288 pages
978-1-139-92706-2 (ISBN)
Description
John Searle's Speech Acts (1969) and Expression and Meaning (1979) developed a highly original and influential approach to the study of language. But behind both works lay the assumption that the philosophy of language is in the end a branch of the philosophy of the mind: speech acts are forms of human action and represent just one example of the mind's capacity to relate the human organism to the world. The present book is concerned with these biologically fundamental capacities, and, though third in the sequence, in effect it provides the philosophical foundations for the other two. Intentionality is taken to be the crucial mental phenomenon, and its analysis involves wide-ranging discussions of perception, action, causation, meaning, and reference. In all these areas John Searle has original and stimulating views. He ends with a resolution of the 'mind-body' problem.
Reviews / Votes
'The strengths of the book lie in its vigor and general clarity, and in the stimulating discussions of the pre-intentional background necessary to the existence of intentional states and of the intentions of a communicator. [Searle's] sharp statement of the structural parallels between action and perception is possibly the best introduction to that phenomenon.' Philosophical Review 'The scope and consistency of his attempt to explain the Philosophy of Language as part of the Philosophy of the Mind is truly impressive.' Nous 'The prose is clear, the approach is straightforward, the arguments powerful. It would be an especially good text to use in the graduate seminar in the philosophy of the mind.' International Studies in Philosophy 'A thorough study of all aspects of Searle's approach is essential to any serious study of issues in the philosophy of mind.' Philosophy and Phenomenological ResearchMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Cambridge University Press
Target group
Professional and scholarly
College/higher education
File size
14,41 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-139-92706-2 (9781139927062)
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Schweitzer Classification
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Book
05/1983
Cambridge University Press
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Book
05/1983
Cambridge University Press
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Content
Acknowledgements; Introduction; 1. The nature of intentional states; 2. The intentionality of perception; 3. Intention and action; 4. Intentional causation; 5. The background; 6. Meaning; 7. Intensional reports of intentional states and speech acts; 8. Are meanings in the head?; 9. Proper names and intentionality; 10. Epilogue: intentionality and the brain; Subject index; Name index.
