ABSTRACT

Intentionality and emergence are both huge and contested topics in philosophy. Intentionality is the generic term for an important mental capacity and for properties that presuppose exercise of that capacity: the capacity is one that is manifested in thoughts, sentences, and actions; it is the property of being about, or representing, or being directed toward something. The emergent mind is to be part of nature, something naturally generated by natural processes; nevertheless, the mind, with its intentionality, is an “entity actively influencing the brain but distinct from it”. There are two major concepts of emergence. Both appeal to an idea of “levels,” but each conceives of levels differently. One conception takes levels to be determined linguistically by predicates, descriptions or concepts. The other conception takes levels to be determined ontologically by different kinds of causally efficacious properties. The alternative conception of emergence is ontological.