Mental Content - Phenomenal or Intentional?

The problem of the mental content whether it is phenomenal or Intentional is one of the most pertinent problems in the area of philosophy of Mind. Many hold that the mental content is individuated solely by the first person experience without an inkling to the outside world. As against, the Strong Phenomenalists we have the other group, called the Strong Intentionalists who argue that the mental content is individuated by the directional aspect to the outside world.In between these two extremes, we have a third group called the Weak intentionalists who tries to negotiate between these two extreme views and strike a balanced perspective of the same.This book is an elaboration on the various theories of the mind and highlights how the weak intentionalism can be the ideal way to deal with the problem of the Mental content. Along with this balanced theory, this book also highlights the approach to this tricky mental problem from the Analytical and Phenomenological standpoints. It tries to seek a dialogue, if any, between these two methodologies and come to a holistic mental framework where both the 1st person and 3rd person mental states are  accommodated.

ANANYAA BARUA was (b. 1982) and raised in Shillong, Meghalaya. Post her schooling in Shillong, she did her undergraduate studies from Indraprastha College, Delhi University securing a 1st division, in 2004. She proceeded to do her post-graduation in Philosophy from Hyderabad Central University, topping the list of the successful candidates in her Masters programme and was awarded the University Gold Medal in 2006-07. She did her Ph.D. in the area of Philosophy of Mind on the problem of the mental content under the able guidance of Dr. Manidipa Sen from Jawaharlal Nehru University in 2013.During her student days she has been conferred upon with many prestigious awards, including getting nominated for the Commonwealth Scholarship for a split-site Ph.D. at University College London in 2008. In connection to her research work, she had gone to Sigmund Freud University, Vienna, Austria, to present a paper on the Cartesian Problem of the Mind in 2010. Besides Philosophy of Mind, her area of interest ranges from issues in Ethics, Early Greek Philosophy to Northeast Studies. She has been associated with Prof. Sanjoy Hazarika since 2007 and has worked with him on projects on Illegal Immigration from Bangladesh and many other allied areas on Northeast themes. Her constant effort has been to make Northeast, more inclusive to the mainland India. She has to her record, participated and presented in many regional, national and international conferences and seminars and has quality publications to her credit.She has been teaching philosophy at Hindu College, Delhi University, as a permanent faculty, since 2009 and has been the faculty advisor for Northeast Studies of her students in college.