PLANTINGA ON MATERIALISM AND INTENTIONALITY
AMIR HOROWITZABSTRACT. Alvin Plantinga (2006) presents an argument against materialism that is concerned with intentionality. His main contention is that according to materialism, intentionality is not a basic property of the brain or of any part thereof, and that intentionality cannot be determined by interactions among various physical items. I take issues with the latter claim, and argue that there is no reason to think that intentionality cannot be thus determined. I also suggest that Plantinga’s failure is anything but accidental: the phenomenon of intentionality is neutral with respect to the mind-body problem. pp. 113–120
Keywords: materialism, dualism, content, intentionality, indication,
original intentionality, derived intentionality