CAUSAL POWERS AND THE INTENTIONALITY CONTINUUM Why does anything happen? What is the best account of natural necessity? In this book, William A. Bauer presents and defends a comprehensive account of the internal structure of causal powers that incorporates physical intentionality and information. Bauer explores new lines of thought concerning the theory of pure powers (powerful properties devoid of any qualitative nature), the place of mind in the physical world, and the role of information in explaining fundamen- tal processes. He raises probing questions about physical modality and fundamental properties, and explores the possibility that physi- cal reality and the mind are unified through intentionality. His book will be valuable for researchers and students working in metaphysics, philosophy of science, and philosophy of mind. William A. Bauer  is Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at North Carolina State University. He has published articles in journals including Acta Analytica, Erkenntnis, and Science and Engineering Ethics. Published online by Cambridge University Press Published online by Cambridge University Press CAUSA L POW ERS AND THE INTENTIONA LIT Y CONTINUUM WILLIAM A. BAUER North Carolina State University Published online by Cambridge University Press University Printing House, Cambridge cb2 8bs, United Kingdom One Liberty Plaza, 20th Floor, New York, ny 10006, usa 477 Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne, vic 3207, Australia 314–321, 3rd Floor, Plot 3, Splendor Forum, Jasola District Centre, New Delhi – 110025, India 103 Penang Road, #05–06/07, Visioncrest Commercial, Singapore 238467 Cambridge University Press is part of the University of Cambridge. It furthers the University’s mission by disseminating knowledge in the pursuit of education, learning, and research at the highest international levels of excellence. www.cambridge.org Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9781009214889 doi: 10.1017/9781009214858 © William A. Bauer 2023 This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press. First published 2023 A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data names: Bauer, William A., 1974– author. title: Causal powers and the intentionality continuum / William A. Bauer, North Carolina State University. description: New York : Cambridge University Press, 2022. | Includes bibliographical references and index. identifiers: lccn 2022022793 | isbn 9781009214889 (hardback) | isbn 9781009214858 (ebook) subjects: lcsh: Causation. | Intentionality (Philosophy) | BISAC: PHILOSOPHY / General classification: lcc bd541 .b38 2022 | ddc 122–dc23/eng/20220815 lc record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022022793 isbn 978-1-009-21488-9 Hardback Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party internet websites referred to in this publication and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate. Published online by Cambridge University Press In the series of things, those that follow are always aptly fitted to those that have gone before; for this series is not like a mere enumeration of disjointed things, which has only a necessary sequence, but it is a rational connection: and as all existing things are arranged together harmoniously, so the things that come into existence exhibit no mere succession but a certain wonderful relationship. Marcus Aurelius, Meditations IV, 45 Published online by Cambridge University Press Published online by Cambridge University Press Contents List of Figures page x Preface xi Acknowledgments xiii List of Abbreviations xvi Introduction: The Metaphysics of Powers and the 3d Account 1 0.1 A World of Causal Powers 1 0.2 Metaphysics and Science 3 0.3 Powers, Qualities, and Powerful Qualities 7 0.4 Properties and Substances 9 0.5 Knowing Powers 11 0.6 Powers “isms” 13 0.7 Networking versus Nodal Accounts of Powers 14 0.8 The 3d Account of Powers 15 0.9 Roadmap 17 Part I Why Powers? 1 The Need for Powers: Three Models of Physical Modality 21 1.1 Three Models of Physical Modality 21 1.2 The Neo-Humean Model Needs Powers 23 1.3 The Universals Model Needs Powers 32 1.4 The Powers Model 36 2 The Reality of Pure Powers 42 2.1 Pure Powers versus Powerful Qualities 42 2.2 The “Nature” of Powerful Qualities 47 2.3 Considering Simplicity and Explanatory Relevance 51 2.4 The Identity Conditions of Powers and Powerful Qualities 53 2.5 Central Argument for Pure Powers 54 2.6 The Problem of Being and Potential Solutions 56 vii Published online by Cambridge University Press viii Contents 2.7 Psillos’ Pure Powers Regress 58 2.8 The Self-Grounding of Pure Powers 62 2.9 Further Questions 73 Part II What Are Powers Like? 3 Powers from the Inside: Physical Intentionality 77 3.1 The Physical Intentionality Thesis 77 3.2 Historical Precursors to the Physical Intentionality Thesis 79 3.3 Brentano’s Thesis and Overview of the Physical Intentionality Thesis 81 3.4 Views Related to the Physical Intentionality Thesis 84 3.5 The Powers Model, the Physical Intentionality Thesis, and Modality 90 4 A Defense of Physical Intentionality: Essential Marks 91 4.1 Introducing the Marks of Intentionality 91 4.2 Directedness and Intentional Inexistence 93 4.3 Intentional Indeterminacy 109 5 A Defense of Physical Intentionality: Additional Marks and Objections 113 5.1 Linguistic Marks: Referential Opacity and Lack of Truth Import 113 5.2 Unique and Impossible Intentional Objects 114 5.3 Extrinsicness 116 5.4 Direction of Causation 129 5.5 Direction of Fit 134 5.6 Objections to the Physical Intentionality Thesis 136 5.7 The Physical Intentionality Thesis and the Other Models of Physical Modality 139 6 Powers from the Inside: Information 141 6.1 The Informational Thesis 141 6.2 Connections between Information and Powers 142 6.3 Powers Holism and the Blueprinting of Powers 146 6.4 Powers and the Nature of Information 150 6.5 Implications of the Informational Thesis 153 6.6 Revisiting the 3d Account of Powers 161 7 Powers from the Outside: Systems of Powers and the Appearance of Qualities 165 7.1 Systems of Powers 165 7.2 Powers and Multilevel Property Systems 166 7.3 Systematizing a Powers System 168 7.4 The Appearance of Qualities 177 7.5 Beyond Fundamental Powers and Quasi-Qualities 184 Published online by Cambridge University Press Contents ix 8 Nature’s Intentionality Continuum 185 8.1 Varieties of Intentionality and the Intentionality Continuum Thesis 185 8.2 Emergence and the Special Composition Question for Powers 187 8.3 Intentionality beyond Fundamental Powers 192 8.4 Panintentionality: Toward a Unification of Mind and Matter 202 8.5 From Panintentionality to Pantheism 203 8.6 Conclusion 210 Works Cited 212 Index 227 Published online by Cambridge University Press