Abstract
The general aim of this paper is to establish the plausibility of a postfoundational intentionalism. Its specific aim is to respond to criticisms of my work made by vivenne Brown in a paper "On some problems with weak intentionalism for intellectual history." Postfoundationalism is often associated with a new textualism according to which there is no outside to the text. In contrast, I suggest that postfoundationalists can legitimate our postulating intentions, actions, and other historical objects outside of the text. The can do so by reference ro, first, philosophical commitments to general classes of objects, and, second, inference to the best explanation wit respect to particular objects belonging to such classes. This post foundational intentionalism sets up a suitable context within which to address Brown's more specific questions.