Belief Quote by John Searle
“An utterance can have Intentionality, just as a belief has Intentionality, but whereas the Intentionality of the belief is intrinsic the Intentionality of the utterance is derived.”
About This Quote
Source Article: Philosophy of Language, 1995
Distinguishes between inherent intentionality of beliefs and derived intentionality of speech acts.
In simple terms: Beliefs have built‑in purpose; speech gets purpose from context.
Key Takeaway
Recognize context in interpreting statements.
Themes
philosophy
language
mind
intentionality
Mood
analytical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
academic
When to use this quote
- legal testimony
- advertising
- political rhetoric
- personal conversations
Key Concepts
speech act theory
semantic analysis
mental states
Questions to Reflect On
- What determines the meaning behind words?
- How does context shape intent?
A Different Perspective
May underplay the role of speaker intent.
![“[T]he categories of intentionality are nothing more nor less than the metalinguistic categories in terms of which we talk epistemically about overt speech as they appear in the framework of thoughts construed on the model of over speech.” quote by Wilfrid Sellars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/45c/wilfrid-sellars-76053_categories_t-he-categories-of-intentionality-are-no_1158855.jpg)
![“"Akrasia" [weakness of will] in rational beings is as common as wine in France.” quote by John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/65d/john-searle-17370_common_akrasia-weakness-of-will-in-rational-bei_976532.jpg)
