From Intentionality to Immateriality.

The idea that for medieval philosophers in general, and for Thomas Aquinas in particular, intentionality is the mark of the cognitive has become a commonplace in philosophy. According to this classical line of reasoning, for Aquinas, esse intentionale is the mark of the cognitive. The present paper challenges this classical reading of Aquinas, by stressing the importance of esse immateriale for defining a knower as opposed to a non-knower. In other words, is endeavours to demonstrate that for Thomas Aquinas intentionality is not the mark of the cognitive. While for intentionality to be cognitive it needs to be connected with immateriality, neither immateriality, nor intentionality alone is sufficient for cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]