Emotion and intersubjectivity

In this chapter, I will examine the phenomenon of understanding the affective states of others in intersubjective relations. I will do so dealing with the more general contemporary debate on social cognition, which is the debate on our ability to understand others and to interpret, explain and predict their behavior in mentalistic terms – that is, for instance, in terms of intentions, beliefs, emotions or desires. I will present three main theoretical proposals in the field, i.e. the theory-theory of mind, the simulation-theory of mind and the direct perception account. I will present the main theses of the three theories and some of the different theoretical versions of each one. In doing so, I will try to outline how these theories account for our ability to understand the affective states (such as emotions, moods or feelings) of others.