I argue that the Parmenidean argument against the possibility of change initiated a metaphysical response that (1) has dominated Western thought since, and (2) creates aporia for understanding mental phenomena. A return to a process framework is consistent with historical trends, consistent with contemporary physics, and permits metaphysical emergence – most especially the emergence of normative function and representation: intentionality. I show that contemporary alternative models of representation are still caught in the classic assumptions and, in consequence, cannot model or account for the inherent normative issues (Bickhard 2010).