Tolle Lege: An Augustinian Journal of Philosophy and Theology

This study re-examined Edmund Husserl’s concept of intentionality, which refers to the ability of mental states to be directed towards objects, events, or states of affairs in the world. Husserl’s phenomenology aimed to uncover the underlying structures and mechanisms that enable this connection between the internal, mental realm and the external, physical realm. This study reconsidered the concept of intentionality in Edmund Husserl’s philosophy to see if it has contemporary relevance. Qualitative research tools were used for this study while drawing data from books and journal articles. The historical, expository as well as the analytical methods were adopted for this study. The historical method traced the evolutionary development of the concept of Intentionality, the expository method examined in detail Husserl’s concept of Intentionality while the analytical method critically appraised his thoughts in order to establish its contemporary relevance. The study found out that modern culture oversimplifies the human experience while ignoring the intricate connection between mental processes and the outside environment. This impedes progress in areas such as cognitive science, artificial intelligence, and human-computer interaction. Although, Husserl’s work shed light on intentional consciousness, there are still disagreements on whether he addressed the issue of intentionality in its entirety. Above all, his concept of intentionality remains crucial in understanding the complex relationship between the mind and the world, and further development and integration of his ideas can provide valuable insights into conscious experience and human-technology interactions, with applications in fields like artificial intelligence, cognitive science, and human-computer interaction. 

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