Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

“Intentionality” and “horizon” are related terms that describe how consciousness is directed toward a world of objects and how our understanding of anything, from objects to ideas, is limited by our point of view. The term “intentionality” has a long history in philosophy, going back to Aristotle, but its modern significance is the result of extensive analyses of the structure ofconsciousness and experience initiated by the German philosopher Edmund Husserl, the founder of phenomenology. While they are grounded in philosophical discourse, “intentionality” and “horizon” have become key concepts in phenomenological theories about the mode of existence of literary works, the experience of reading, and the process of interpretation. According to Husserl, consciousness never exists purely, in isolation, but is always consciousness of something. Conversely, objects are given to us only as objects of actual or possible consciousness. “Intentionality” refers to this reciprocally determining relationship between acts of consciousness and their objects. Our experience of objects is characterized by “horizons” of various kinds because it is defined by our particular perspective (similar to the way the “horizon” of a landscape presents itself to us). The term “horizon” suggests not only the limits of our perspective but also how we typically transcend them in our expectations about what the ... log in or subscribe to read full text