Elements for a Formal Model of Intentional Systems

This paper introduces elementary concepts needed to define a formal, computationally oriented, model for intentional systems. First, the paper briefly reviews the central concept of intentionality, to contextualize the work. Then, it characterizes the main types of intentional acts, defines the concepts of intentional process and intentional system, and gives the basis of the formal model of such systems. Next in a brief case study, a formal model for a sample constative intentional system is presented and discussed. Following, the features that are still lacking to achieve a full-fledged formal model of intentional systems are indicated. Finally, the relationship between the formal model of intentional systems introduced here and the usual semantical models for formal languages is discussed.