Ontoslink - Distributing Digital Media

In this collection of papers by Laird Addis, published over approximately a quarter century, the main topics are the ontology of mind and the role of mind in the explanation of behavior.  Addis defends a theory of natural signs, by which there is, in every conscious state including emotional states, an intrinsically intentional entity.  He also argues that explanations of behavior by dispositional mental states, while not themselves causal explanations, presuppose the possibility of such explanations.  The theory of dispositions is applied also to the theories of Chomsky and Freud.  In broad strokes, Addis holds that, while there is a distinct realm of mental properties, behaviors admit of purely physical explanations.

About the author

Laird Addis is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of Iowa.  He has published numerous articles and books in philosophy of mind, metaphysics, philosophy of the social sciences, and philosophy of music.  His books include Natural Signs: A Theory of Intentionality (1989) and Of Mind and Music (1999).

________________________________________________________________

Review published by "Notre Dame Philosophical Review"