Three Types of Heterotropic Intentionality. A Taxonomy in Social Ontology

I will focus on the phenomenon of heterotropic intentionality, on its role in the creation of social reality and on its relation to social ontology. I will argue five theses on heterotropic intentionality: (i) the heterotropism thesis identifies a great divide within the vast domain of intentional phenomena: solitary ones (which need just one individual in order to exist) vs. heterotropic ones (which need at least two individuals in order to exist); (ii) the three types of heterotropic intentionality thesis maintains that there are at least three types of heterotropic intentionality: collective, intersubjective and social intentionality; (iii) the three kinds of intersubjective and collective intentionality thesis claims that, like solitary or individual intentionality, collective and social intentionality also involve different kinds of intentionality: practical, affective and cognitive; (iv) the sub-personal and personal level thesis maintains that collective and intersubjective intentionality are both sub-personal and personal intentionality, while social intentionality is always a personal intentionality; (v) the ontological efficacy thesis claims that all three types of hetero-tropic intentionality create social entities, and that social entities are ontologically dependent on heterotropic intentionality, and not on solitary or individual intentionality. Moreover, I will integrate my theses by putting forward a taxonomy which points out the family resemblances and the strong diversities of these types of heterotropic intentionality.