title: Concerning knowledge of mental states.
abstract: How does a child acquire knowledge that other people are subjects of experience, and come to differentiate amongst mental states? In this paper I review some philosophical perspectives on these matters. In order to illustrate how the arguments have contemporary relevance, I criticize the 'theory of mind' approach currently favoured by many psychologists and point out certain implications for our view of early childhood autism.
authors: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Maudsley Hospital, London, UK.
authors: R P
authors: RP
authors: Hobson
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D001364:Awareness; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D009769:Object Attachment; D010553:Personality Development