Object and Noematic Meaning in Husserl

Abstract

The subject discussed in the paper is the relationship between object (Gegenstand) and noematic meaning (Sinn) as components of the full noema in Husserl’s “Ideas I“. It is demonstrated that the noematic meaning, as the component mediating the intentional relation, has an individuating function insofar it discriminates the intended object from all other ones. The concept of noematic meaning in Husserl and the concept of linguistic meaning in the theory of direct reference are confronted. On this basis, a notion of direct intention, mediated by a cancelable noematic meaning, is proposed, and a hypothesis of compatibility of this notion with Husserl’s theory of noemais formulated.