Intentionality Meaning
/ˌɪˈntɛnʃənəl/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounThe quality of being intentional.
nounThe characteristic of a mental state whereby it is about something, which relates to mental states in an analogous way as meaning relates to a word.
Sentence Examples
The intentionality of the action was clear.
Intentionality is a key concept in philosophy.
The philosopher discussed the concept of human intentionality.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ of her actions was clear because she planned every detail.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The philosopher discussed the ____ of human actions, arguing that we always act with a specific goal.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree English intentional Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-ts Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ts Latin -itāsder. Old French -itebor. Middle English -ite English -ity English intentionality From intentional + -ity.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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 or of objects and states of affairs in the world."
— 1983, John R. Searle, Intentionality: An Essay in the Philosophy of Mind, page 1:
"For phenomenology, the central feature of experience is a structure called "intentionality," which correlates all things experienced with the mode of experience to which the experience is referenced."
— 1986, Don Ihde, Experimental Phenomenology: An Introduction, page 23:
"Causality in the Intentionality Model is in the agency of the child. It is the child who perceives, who apprehends, who constructs the intentional state, who acts to express it, and who interprets what others do (including what they say) to construct a new intentional state."
— 2001, Lois Bloom, Erin Tinker, Ellin Kofsky Scholnick, The Intentionality Model and Language Acquisition, page 10:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ of her actions was clear because she planned every detail.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The philosopher discussed the ____ of human actions, arguing that we always act with a specific goal.