Your paper "Intentionality is the Mark of the Vital"
seems to fit better. It argues that it is unnecessary to
reconcile the mental with the material if we consider the
mental as intentional, and gives the example
A did D because A desired (wanted, believed..) [x]
For example I can move my arm because I want it.
I want it means I have the intention to it. It is the
intention which causes a kind of downward causation
to low-level behaviors (from the prefrontal cortex to
the premotor areas and the primary motor cortex).
As the article says, intentional explanations may be
the best way to describe the elusive nature of
"mental" operations in a biological system.
-J.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nicholas Thompson" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, June 14, 2009 7:24 PM
Subject: Re: [FRIAM] The ghost in the machine (was 'quick question')
Take care. If you every were so idle and demented as to want to read
something I have written on the subject, you might try:
http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/id36.html
Nick
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