1 Forthcoming in Consciousness and Cognition. Please quote only from published version.

Simulationists have recently started to employ the term "empathy " when characterizing our most basic understanding of other minds. I agree that empathy is crucial, but I think it is being misconstrued by the simulationists. Using some ideas to be found in Scheler's classical discussion of empathy, I will argue for a different understanding of the notion. More specifically, I will argue that there are basic levels of interpersonal understanding- in particular the understanding of emotional expressions- that are not explicable in terms of simulation-plus-projection routines