Problem of Other Minds

Do we know what others are thinking or feeling? Indeed, do we even know that others have thoughts or feelings at all? If so, how? Jack Reynolds gives an introductory talk on this topic and considers two main types of response to the “problem of other minds”: those that are inferential in nature and argue that perception of others alone is an insufficient justification, requiring either an argument by analogy, or an inference to the best explanation; those that are non-inferential in nature, advocating either direct perception of others in some core emotions, or the view that certain experiences that we do have (e.g. shame) presuppose the existence of others.

This was from a talk given by Jack Reynolds back in 2013 at La Trobe University as part of a series on philosophical problems.

#Philosophy #Epistemology #Skepticism