Original Intentionality
Original intentionality is the idea that human thoughts and beliefs have intrinsic meaning, while artifacts like books and computers have intentionality only derived from human interpretation.
THE IDEA
John Searle (1980) coined the term 'original intentionality' and draws a sharp distinction between original and derived intentionality. The doctrine of original intentionality claims that whereas some artifacts (books, movies, computers, signposts) have a kind of intentionality derived from us, humans have original (or intrinsic) intentionality, utterly underived. For example, printed words about philosophy are only about philosophy because we readers and writers of English have thoughts and beliefs about philosophy that we contrive to convey using these trails of ink, which wouldn't be about anything at all without us word-users. Our thoughts and beliefs, in contrast, mean what they mean independently of any ulterior users; they exhibit original intentionality and are the source ultimately of all the derived intentionality in many of our artifacts. These include words, sentences, books, maps, movies, paintings, signs, symbols, diagrams, and computers. Both a shopping list on a scrap of paper and a shopping list on your iPhone are about groceries only in virtue of the use you make of these symbol structures, the interpretation you bestow on them, in aid of your desire to buy groceries and your belief that the supermarket is the place to go, which are about groceries more directly and originally. Aristotle said that God is the Unmoved Mover, and this doctrine announces that we are the Unmeant Meaners.
When to use it
Evaluating whether a machine can genuinely understand language or just simulate understanding.
Analyzing the difference between a human belief and a computer's data representation.
Debating the ontological status of symbols and meanings in cultural artifacts.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Shopping List
A shopping list on paper or iPhone is about groceries only because a person interprets it that way; the words themselves have no intrinsic meaning. The list's intentionality is derived from the user's beliefs and desires.
Books and Computers
A book about philosophy is about philosophy only because readers and writers have thoughts about philosophy. On the doctrine described here, a computer’s output derives its meaning from human interpretation rather than from original intentionality in the computer. This is the philosophical claim under discussion.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
How does the concept of original intentionality challenge the possibility of strong AI?
Can you think of any artifact that seems to have its own meaning? Is its intentionality truly independent of human interpretation?
What implications does original intentionality have for our understanding of mind and meaning?
Often confused with
References
- Minds, Brains, and Programs — John Searle (1980)
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking