Abstract

Spinoza′s theory of ideas is one of the most important and at the same time most controversial aspects of his Ethics. In this paper a new interpretation of this theory is suggested that allows for a conception of this theory as providing valuable steps towards a naturalized theory of intentionality. To begin with, the principled distinction between the finite and the infinite intellect is established by a distinction between two kinds of representational relation. Since both of these relations can in turn be reduced to a relation of indication there is no evidence for an alleged ambiguity with respect to the concept of an idea in Spinoza′s theory. While the distinction between different relations of representation has important epistemological consequences, the reducibility of those relations to an underlying relation of indication opens the way for a possible naturalization of the intentionality of the mental