Relatedness and alienation in interpersonal understanding : a phenomenological account
This thesis aims to provide a phenomenological exploration of relatedness and alienation in interpersonal understanding, which elucidates and supports recent interdisciplinary critiques of more traditional accounts of interpersonal understanding. Orthodox accounts of folk psychology, namely theory and simulation theories, have focused on the role of attributing mental states in understanding others. This focus has led to a neglect of how interaction and forms of relatedness contribute to the task of interpersonal understanding. Building on recent interdisciplinary research, my work aims to rectify this neglect through an exploration of how various forms of relations, particularly interactive relations between interlocutors, support interpersonal understanding. My account, therefore, emphasises understanding as a shared process, moving away from the spectatorial orientation of the orthodox accounts. My approach is distinctive in its use of Gadamerian hermeneutics to offer a novel and detailed account of the central role played by collaborative refinement of interpretative presuppositions. Examining face-to-face interaction, it becomes apparent that affective interactions often frame and underpin an ability
Taylor-Aiken, Amanda Jayne
Relatedness and alienation in interpersonal understanding : a phenomenological account. This thesis aims to provide a phenomenological exploration of relatedness and alienation in interpersonal understanding, which elucidates and supports recent interdisciplinary critiques of more traditional accounts of interpersonal understanding. Orthodox accounts of folk psychology, namely theory and simulation theories, have focused on the role of attributing mental states in understanding others. This focus has led to a neglect of how interaction and forms of relatedness contribute to the task of interpersonal understanding. Building on recent interdisciplinary research, my work aims to rectify this neglect through an exploration of how various forms of relations, particularly interactive relations between interlocutors, support interpersonal understanding. My account, therefore, emphasises understanding as a shared process, moving away from the spectatorial orientation of the orthodox accounts. My approach is distinctive in its use of Gadamerian hermeneutics to offer a novel and detailed account of the central role played by collaborative refinement of interpretative presuppositions. Examining face-to-face interaction, it becomes apparent that affective interactions often frame and underpin an ability
relatedness alienation interpersonal phenomenological account aim_provide phenomenological exploration relatedness alienation interpersonal elucidate support recent interdisciplinary critique_traditional account interpersonal understanding orthodox account folk_psychology namely theory simulation theory focused role attribute mental_state others focus lead neglect interaction form relatedness contribute task interpersonal understanding building recent interdisciplinary work aim rectify neglect exploration various_form relation particularly interactive relation interlocutor support interpersonal understanding account therefore emphasis share process move_away orientation orthodox account distinctive use hermeneutics offer_novel detailed_account central_role play collaborative refinement interpretative presupposition examining face_to_face interaction become_apparent affective interaction often frame underpin ability