Lecture � Fricker, mind II � essence of the mental

Greg Detre

16/10/01

propositional attitudes � beliefs/hopes/desires

mental attitude to a thing/content/idea

intentionality � reference to something outside that person

desires + hopes: not truth, but fulfilment conditions

intentionality � match with the world

Searle � intentionality = irreducible, bare fact, bound up with consciousness

information-carrying states, like rings in a tree � law-like connectoin between the state + the information

causal relation of idea � functional role

how can sounds + sentences too have intentionality?

derived

Grice theory of meaning � explaining sentences in terms of the mental states of the speakers

reducing the semantic to the psychological

but, the meaning also seems to be in the opposite direction, in the words

intentionality \ is not sufficient

is it necessary?

no, because of non-intentional mental states, e.g. sensations

 

mentality consciousness?

but what is it? conscious states: those we are aware of�

do dispositional states have a phenomenal character, like pain/emotion?

 

potential consciousness �/span> immediate non-inferential access

unconscious/repressed beliefs/desires etc.

 

folk psychology � set of laws + rules of thumb for predicting behaviour by ascribing beliefs + desires

 

Questions

R Gregory vs occurrent/dispositional states

does the flawed access to mental state make a difference??? e.g. proprioception

maybe mentality needs to be categorised, and can't be talked about as a unitary concept???

a fortiori vs a priori in rationality???

mental states as high-level representations, i.e. abstracted intentionality???