An agent's intention in performing an action is their specific purpose in doing so, the end or goal they aim at, or intend to accomplish. Whether an action is successful or unsuccessful depends at least on whether the intended result was brought about. Other consequences of someone's acting are called unintentional. Intentional behavior can also be just thoughtful and deliberate goal-directedness.

Legal use

In the criminal law, intention is one of the three general classes of mens rea or "guilty mind" which, in addition to the required actus reus or guilty act", must be proved to establish liability for the standard crimianl offence. Exceptionally, an intention to commit a crime on its own may be a crime: see child grooming. For a country-specific discussion, see Intention in English law

Related terms

• In the philosophy of mind, intentionality is the property of being "about" something else, or to have some subject matter, in a certain way. Many states of mind, such as thinking about the pyramids, are characteristically about things (in this case the pyramids). Other things, such as words and paintings, can also have kinds of intentionality. Rocks and tables, in general, do not have intentional states.

• An intension (with an s, but easily mistaken for intention with a t) is an aspect of the meaning of an expression. It is meant to contrast with extension.

References

• G. E. M. Anscombe, Intention
• Donald Davidson, Essays on Actions and Events

Интенция