Did you know that it is much easier to detect lying in a stranger than with someone you’ve known for a very long time? That if any animal is staring at you it can only mean one of three things: it either wants to fight, feed, or mate with you? How we react to one another socially is the most important aspect of our lives. Without a Theory of Mind, we could not predict what others are likely to do, feel or believe; we could not love, lie, cheat, communicate or develop mature relationships. Yet there are those who have no understanding of how other people think and feel: young children, autistics, and people with a rare disorder known as Asperger’s syndrome. Research indicates that great apes and possibly dolphins may possess an awareness of other beings’ minds and be able to adapt accordingly.

Click to read Chapter 5 (Mindreading)

Click to read Chapter 8 (Mindreading)