Brentano on "unconscious consciousness"
pp. 153-159
in: Roberto Poli (ed), Consciousness, knowledge, and truth, Berlin, Springer, 1993Abstract
In his Psychology from an Empirical Standpoint, Franz Brentano sets forth a theory of consciousness which implies (i) that every mental state includes an awareness of the subject of that state. (ii) that every mental state is itself an object of consciousness and (iii) that there are no unconscious mental states. Brentano's views on these matters, it seems to me, are of first importance. Many of Brentano's critics have felt that they involve insuperable difficulties. In the present essay, I will attempt to put these views as clearly as possible and to suggest how Brentano might deal with some of the criticisms that have been made.
