Intention

Intention

An 's intention in performing an action is his or her specific "purpose" in doing so, the "end" or "goal" that is aimed at, or intended to accomplish. Whether an action is "successful" or unsuccessful depends at least on whether the intended result was brought about. Other consequences of someone's acting are called "unintentional". Intentional behavior can also be just thoughtful and deliberate goal-directedness.

In Philosophy

G.E.M Anscombe made the topic of intentional action a major topic of analytic philosophy with her 1957 work "Intention". She argued that intentional action was coextensive with action of which one could ask "why were you doing that?" In the sense that Anscombe meant her question, it was "refused application" by the answer "I was not aware that I was doing that," but not by "for no reason at all." Therefore Anscombe held that it was possible to act intentionally for no reason at all. She also claimed that intentional action was subject to "knowledge without observation."

Related terms

* In the philosophy of mind, intentionality is the property of being "about" something else, or to have some subject matter, in a certain way. Many states of mind, such as "thinking about the pyramids", are characteristically "about" things (in this case the pyramids). Other things, such as words and paintings, can also have kinds of intentionality. Rocks and tables, in general, do not have intentional states.

ee also

*Intraparietal sulcus
*Intentionality
*Process art
*Mindfulness

References

*G. E. M. Anscombe, "Intention"
*Donald Davidson, "Essays on Actions and Events"


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  • intention — [ ɛ̃tɑ̃sjɔ̃ ] n. f. • 1190; lat. intentio 1 ♦ Fait de se proposer un certain but. ⇒ dessein, idée, projet. Intention et action, et passage à l acte. ♢ Dr. Volonté consciente de commettre un fait prohibé par la loi. Commettre un acte avec l… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Intention — • An act of the will by which that faculty efficaciously desires to reach an end by employing the means Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Intention     Intention      …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • intention — INTENTION. s. f. Dessein, mouvement de l ame par lequel on tend, on vise à quelque fin. Bonne intention. mauvaise intention. droite, loüable intention. il a intention, l intention de faire quelque chose. mon intention n estoit pas de vous… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • intention — in·ten·tion /in ten chən/ n: something intended: intent the intention of the testator ◇ Intent is more commonly used than intention when speaking technically esp. about the criminal and tort concepts of intent (senses 1a and 1b). Merriam… …   Law dictionary

  • Intention — In*ten tion, n. [F. intention, L. intentio. See {Intend}, and cf. {Intension}.] [1913 Webster] 1. A stretching or bending of the mind toward an object; closeness of application; fixedness of attention; earnestness. [1913 Webster] Intention is… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • intention — intention, intent, purpose, design, aim, end, object, objective, goal are comparable when meaning what one proposes to accomplish or to attain by doing or making something, in distinction from what prompts one (the motive), or from the activity… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • intention — is followed either by of + verbal noun or by a to infinitive, the first of these being somewhat more common and the second influenced by the verb intend: • I have no intention no present intention of standing for Parliament Harold Macmillan, 1979 …   Modern English usage

  • Intention — Sf Absicht, Bestreben per. Wortschatz fremd. Erkennbar fremd (16. Jh.) Entlehnung. Entlehnt aus l. intentio ( ōnis), einem Abstraktum zu l. intendere (intentum) hinwenden, anschicken, sein Streben auf etwas richten , zu l. tendere (tentum,… …   Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen sprache

  • intention — [in ten′shən] n. [ME entencioun < OFr entencion < L intentio < pp. of intendere] 1. the act or fact of intending; determination to do a specified thing or act in a specified manner 2. a) anything intended or planned; aim, end, or purpose …   English World dictionary

  • Intention — (v. lat.), Absicht, Zweck; daher Intentioniren, beabsichtigen. Intentionalismus, Glaube, daß der Zweck (Intention) die Mittel heilige. Intentionalität, Absichtlichkeit …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Intention — (lat.), Absicht, Vorhaben, Zweck (nicht zu verwechseln mit Intension, s. d.) …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

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