Intentionality as the dynamic of behavior
Jaques argues all living behavior is driven by intention directed at goals, making purpose the core variable. This gives behavior a dynamic rather than static explanation.
The life and behavior of living organisms
6 ideas
Levels of work complexity
Behavior can be measured by the time-span and complexity of intended goals. Levels of capability correspond to how far ahead an organism can structure purposeful action.
Horizontal versus vertical evolution
Jaques distinguishes mutations within a given level of capability from jumps to higher levels of complexity. Evolution operates on two axes, not one continuum.
Human language marks a discontinuity
Human symbolic language differs in kind, not degree, from animal communication. This qualitative break enables higher-order intentional complexity.
Behavior read through goal-directed judgment
Rather than stimulus-response, Jaques reads action as judgment exercised toward chosen ends. Decision and discretion become the unit of analysis.
Freedom within mutual-trust constraints
Purposeful freedom is realized inside constraints that induce trust between individuals. Bounded structure, not the absence of limits, enables effective action.