Intentional Fallacy
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30
CORE DEFINITION
When evaluating a work, it is a fallacy to mistakenly regard the author's creative intention as the sole standard for the meaning and value of the work. In fact, once a work is completed, it exists independently of the author, and the reader's response also constitutes meaning.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
The independence of the work. In product design or communication, do not defend yourself by saying 'I originally meant to express...'. What the user perceives is the truth. If your intention does not match the user's perception, it is a problem with the work (product), not a problem with the user's understanding.
Anchor fast decisions
Wimsatt and Beardsley: judging the meaning of a work by the author's intention is a fallacy; meaning should be based on the text itself. The mechanism is to distinguish between creative intention and the public meaning of the work.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorial_intentverified
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