January 16

Born in Würzburg in 1838, Brentano studied theology and philosophy before turning to psychology. He introduced the concept of intentionality, the directedness of mental states toward objects, in his influential work 'Psychology from an Empirical Standpoint'. Brentano’s teachings shaped the development of phenomenology through his students Edmund Husserl and Kazimierz Twardowski. He also made contributions to ethics and the philosophy of mind. Brentano’s interdisciplinary approach laid the groundwork for 20th-century continental philosophy.