Intentionality: An Essay in the Philosophy of Mind (Cambridge Paperback Library) (Paperback)

by John R. Searle (Author) "As a preliminary formulation we might say: Intentionality is that property of many mental states and events by which they are directed at or about..." (more)
Key Phrases: vis exp, indexical referring expressions, external causal chain, King of France, Cambridge University Press, King Arthur (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
'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 Research

Product 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.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 292 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (May 31, 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521273021
• ISBN-13: 978-0521273022
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #401,704 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Modern Theory of Mind, July 11, 2001

By	D. S. Heersink "D. Stephen Heersink" (San Francisco) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

P>In his usual manner, Searle tackles the problem of consciousness and how the mind works in this thorough examination of both classical and contemporary concerns. It's an exceedingly masterful task that is richly rewarding, if only slightly frustrating because of his poor syntactical structures.

Analytic philosophy is often difficult enough, and this book is of average difficulty, but when an author does not write clearly with near-run-on sentences, myandering and labyrinthine syntax, and in less than necessary obtuseness, it is a drawback. This is my only complaint.

Part of the problem is the author's, part reader's. Searle is going against the analytic grain by expositing a theory of mind that is at once novel and distinctive, clearing up confusions and ambiguities along the way. But these new ideas and the direction of fit they present are exciting and facinating, even if the presentation is less than perfect.

It's hard to imagine modern-day analytic philosophers going out on a limb with actual theory (they tend toward the criticism of others), so that it is refreshing that someone of Mr. Searle's reputation and caliber takes a stab at presenting a coherent theory of mind in new dress and ambiance: Naive realism.

This isn't the first book of Searle's I'd recommend. That honor goes to "Mind, Language, and Society," his short, but densely argued, and clearer exposition, of several ideas (some of which he adumbrates from this volume). If you like what you read in THAT book, this book will further delight you.

What's so agreeable about Searle, if not his syntax, is his willingness to posit a coherent theory of mind in the traditional vein but in entirely new clothing. It's refreshing to see a modern philosopher actually doing philosophy, not critiquing the philosophy of others. Searle would probably have advanced his cause by having someone else tidy up his presentation, as this drawback reduces the splendor of the overall book.

13 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Frames the large picture of the mind-body duality, November 4, 2000

By A Customer

The current philosophical debates about what is the mind and how can it translate intentions into body actions including language and action are summed up into a convincing, clear-headed, yet arrogant and extremely mis-guided approach to this philosophical question. Searle's logical formalism may "pull-the-wool" over many people's eyes, but his statements have garnered much negative criticism in the eyes of his peers.

Perhaps the best way to sum up his book is that he believes there is no difference between the mind and the body, and that the original question is flawed, yet at the same time, he establishes the existence of an intention, an entirely mental concept have physical equivalences. This is really an uninspired type of answer, and is largely considered a cop-out by most.