Abstract

For years, intentionality has referred to the directedness of mental states. As a result,discussions regarding intentionality have been conceptualized within a mental/physical framework that has made it difficult to integrate mental properties with physical systems. The purpose of the present paper is to present an approach to intentionality based on Wild Systems Theory ,a framework for cognitive science that avoids mental/physical distinctions. It does so by conceptualizing organisms as multi-scale, contextually-emergent, self-sustaining embodiments of context. Doing so renders self-sustaining systems both naturally and necessarily 'about ' the multi-scale contexts they have had to embody to sustain them-selves and naturally 'directed ' toward self-sustainment. As a result, such systems are naturally intentional