The Mind’s Presence to Itself: In Search of Non‐intentional Awareness

Abstract

Abstract: According to some philosophers, the mind enjoys a form of presence to itself. That is to say, in addition to being aware of whatever objects it is aware of, it is also (co‐presently) aware of itself. This paper explores the proposal that we should think about this kind of experiential‐presence in terms of a form of non‐intentional awareness. Various candidates for the relevant form of awareness, as constituting supposed non‐intentional experiential‐presence, are considered and are shown to encounter significant problems. The fact that a plausible account of the non‐intentional awareness which experience putatively has of itself cannot be framed with reference to such forms of awareness is grounds for scepticism concerning the cogency of non‐intentional experiential presence.