The Social Mind: A Philosophical Introduction

Book Details

• Publisher: Routledge

• Author: Jane Suilin Lavelle

• Edition: 1

• Binding: Hardcover

• Format: Import

• Pages: 176

• Release Date: 11-12-2018

• ISBN: 9781138831476

• Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.6 x 0.9 inches

• Languages: English

About the Book

The Social Mind: A Philosophical Introduction by Jane Suilin Lavelle delves into the cognitive capacities that allow us to think about other people's minds, a fascinating aspect of human interaction. In everyday life, we spend a significant amount of time considering what others are thinking, why they want things, and how they might react in various situations, often without conscious thought. This book explores the mechanisms behind this capability.

Lavelle offers an interdisciplinary approach, combining insights from philosophy, neuroscience, anthropology, developmental psychology, and cognitive ethology to answer intriguing questions about the nature of social cognition. Some of the key questions addressed in the book include:

• How do we think about the minds of others? Do we put ourselves in their shoes to understand their thoughts?

• When and why is it necessary to consider another person’s thoughts?

• What kinds of thoughts do we attribute to others, such as beliefs and desires, and can these be understood differently?

• What neural mechanisms enable our ability to think about others' thoughts?

• How does this ability manifest in people on the autism spectrum?

• Is our preoccupation with others' thoughts specific to Western cultures, or is it a universal phenomenon?

• How do children develop the ability to think about others' minds?

• Can non-human animals think about other minds?

The book is grounded in case studies that illustrate these questions, covering topics like mirror neurons, research on infant social cognition, false belief tasks, and cross-cultural studies.

With clear and accessible explanations, the book presents complex interdisciplinary debates, making it a suitable entry point for students and anyone interested in understanding how we relate to and interpret the minds of others. It will appeal to students of philosophy of mind, psychology, cognitive science, developmental psychology, and anthropology.