“Whoever looketh into himself and considers what he does when he does think, opine, reason, hope, fear, etc., and upon what grounds, he shall thereby read and know what are the thoughts and passions of all other men upon the like occasions”
(Th Hobbes 1651 Leviathan, The Introduction)
(Th Hobbes (d.1679) was a founder of political philosophy as we understand it today: more)
RESONATES with THEORY of MIND: the developmental biologist’s ideas about “… the capacity to understand other people by ascribing mental states to them. A theory of mind includes the knowledge that others’ beliefs, desires, intentions, emotions, and thoughts may be different from one’s own.[1] Possessing a functional theory of mind is crucial for success in everyday human social interactions. People utilise a theory of mind when analyzing, judging, and inferring others’ behaviors. The discovery and development of theory of mind primarily came from studies done with animals and infants.[2] Factors including drug and alcohol consumption, language development, cognitive delays, age, and culture can affect a person’s capacity to display theory of mind. Having a theory of mind is similar to but not identical with having the capacity for empathy[3] or sympathy.” (Wikipedia)