If you find the topic interesting, you might want to read the paper Imitation, mirror neurons and autism. It's been quite a while since I've read it, but it gave me a lot of good grounds for my own inquiry. Obviously, I don't agree with everything they say, but I did enjoy their rather dismissive attitude toward "theory of mind" and other misconceptions. Worth a look.
See, proof that empathy exists for some people. When we see someone else in a situation, we feel it to a certain extent as if we were in it. Using our cognitive skills, we can adjust what we feel based on what we know of that person. For example, if I were afraid of being on stage (I'm not, but let's pretend) I would feel nervous and uncomfortable on the behalf of others on stage. But I can learn that others find it enjoyable and view them as in a different situation than I think. I have to imagine being in the situation of being on stage and not finding it frightening but enjoyable. So, I add the variable of - being afraid to be on stage - to the situation as I perceive it to know what to empathize with. But that's empathy, triggering the same brain paths for perceiving someone else in a situation as you would for being in that situation.
If you find the topic interesting, you might want to read the paper Imitation, mirror neurons and autism. It's been quite a while since I've read it, but it gave me a lot of good grounds for my own inquiry. Obviously, I don't agree with everything they say, but I did enjoy their rather dismissive attitude toward "theory of mind" and other misconceptions. Worth a look.
See, proof that empathy exists for some people. When we see someone else in a situation, we feel it to a certain extent as if we were in it. Using our cognitive skills, we can adjust what we feel based on what we know of that person. For example, if I were afraid of being on stage (I'm not, but let's pretend) I would feel nervous and uncomfortable on the behalf of others on stage. But I can learn that others find it enjoyable and view them as in a different situation than I think. I have to imagine being in the situation of being on stage and not finding it frightening but enjoyable. So, I add the variable of - being afraid to be on stage - to the situation as I perceive it to know what to empathize with. But that's empathy, triggering the same brain paths for perceiving someone else in a situation as you would for being in that situation.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2005-03-30 03:01 pm (UTC)Abstract:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?holding=npg&cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11445135&dopt=Abstract
Full PDF:
http://courses.media.mit.edu/2003spring/mas963/williams-whiten-etal.pdf
The formatting on the PDF stinks. If it annoys too much, I'd be happy to send a plain text copy.
no subject
Date: 2005-03-30 05:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-30 03:01 pm (UTC)Abstract:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?holding=npg&cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11445135&dopt=Abstract
Full PDF:
http://courses.media.mit.edu/2003spring/mas963/williams-whiten-etal.pdf
The formatting on the PDF stinks. If it annoys too much, I'd be happy to send a plain text copy.
no subject
Date: 2005-03-30 05:12 pm (UTC)