From newshub.ccs.yorku.ca!ists!helios.physics.utoronto.ca!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!yale.edu!news.yale.edu!news Thu Dec 26 23:57:49 EST 1991
Article 2337 of comp.ai.philosophy:
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy
Path: newshub.ccs.yorku.ca!ists!helios.physics.utoronto.ca!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!yale.edu!news.yale.edu!news
>From: Peter Seibel
Subject: Searle question
Message-ID: <1991Dec21.044218.9403@news.yale.edu>
Summary: A quick question.
Keywords: Searle Chinese room causal powers intentionality
Sender: news@news.yale.edu (USENET News System)
Nntp-Posting-Host: commons5-kstar-node.net.yale.edu
Organization: Yale University
Date: Sat, 21 Dec 1991 04:42:18 GMT

A quick question about Searle's "Minds, brains, and programs":

I read the whole thing as well as all twenty-seven responses and his Scientific
American piece.  My only question is, what, if anything, does Searle mean by
"causal powers" and "intentionality."  Are these standard philosophy terms that
I don't know because I am not a Ph.D. in philosophy or are they terms that
Searle is using with some specific and personal meaning that he doesn't make
explicit.  Or am I just missing something.  In any case, what does he mean? 
Also, which comes first -- do we have intentionality because we have causal
powers or do we have causal powers because we have intentionality.  Answers and
or references will be much appreciated.  Thanks.  Also apologies in advance if
this has already been discused somewhere -- I've been having a hard time
keeping up with the massive amount of stuff posted about Searle in this
newsgroup.

Sincerely,
Peter Seibel

------------------------------
e-mail: peter_seibel@quickmail.ycc.yale.edu
tel: 203-436-0619
snail: P.O. Box 306 Yale Station, New Haven, CT 06520
------------------------------ 


