Cogprints

Autism as mindblindness: an elaboration and partial defence

Carruthers, Peter (1996) Autism as mindblindness: an elaboration and partial defence. [Book Chapter]

Full text available as:

[img] HTML
71Kb

Abstract

In this chapter I defend the mind-blindness theory of autism, by showing how it can accommodate data which might otherwise appear problematic for it. Specifically, I show how it can explain the fact that autistic children rarely engage in spontaneous pretend-play, and also how it can explain the executive-function deficits which are characteristic of the syndrome. I do this by emphasising what I take to be an entailment of the mind-blindness theory, that autistic subjects have difficulties of access to their own mental states, as well as to the mental states of other people.

Item Type:Book Chapter
Keywords:autism, mind-blindness, executive function, self-knowledge, pretend play
Subjects:Psychology > Developmental Psychology
Philosophy > Philosophy of Mind
ID Code:1193
Deposited By: Carruthers, Peter
Deposited On:09 Jan 2001
Last Modified:11 Mar 2011 08:54

Metadata

Repository Staff Only: item control page