Mirror, Mirror in the Brain, What’s the Monkey Stand to Gain?

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Date
2010-05-25
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Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Abstract
Primatologists generally agree that monkeys lack higher-order intentional capacities related to theory of mind. Yet the discovery of the so-called “mirror neurons” in monkeys suggests to many neuroscientists that they have the rudiments of intentional understanding. Given a standard philosophical view about intentional understanding, which requires higher-order intentionality, a paradox arises. Different ways of resolving the paradox are assessed, using evidence from neural, cognitive, and behavioral studies of humans and monkeys. A decisive resolution to the paradox requires substantial additional empirical work and perhaps a rejection of the standard philosophical view.
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Keywords
Intentionality, mirror neurons, action understanding, animal mind
Citation
Allen, C. (2010), Mirror, Mirror in the Brain, What's the Monkey Stand to Gain?. Noûs, 44: 372–391. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-0068.2010.00744.x
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Copyright 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Article