Seeing Some One.
Wolfgang Prinz
Frontiers in Psychology September 13, 2018 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01747 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Consciousness Import Agency Intentionality Action perception Export Selfhood |
| Key points | Argues that human minds are tailored to the requirements of action perception and that the third-person perspective involved in watching others act offers easier, more direct access to selfhood, intentionality, and agency than the first-person perspective. The author proposes these phenomena come 'for free' when studying action perception, while not claiming this approach solves the enigmata of consciousness. |
Abstract
This paper outlines a light approach to heavy issues of consciousness. The basic claim is that human minds are very much tailored to the requirements of action perception, that is, to what people see when they watch other people acting. I argue that the third-person perspective entailed in action perception offers an easy and more direct access to such enigmatic things as selfhood, intentionality, and agency than the first-person perspective does. In a sense, we get these things for free when we study action perception. I do not claim that the study of action perception can solve (or even dissolve) the enigmata entailed in consciousness. I do claim, however, that it sheds new light on relationships between one's own mind and other minds.