Our social minds: A discussion of a social perspective on the mind

In this essay a social perspective on the mind is explored and argued for. The essay moves from a discussion of a social collective foundation for the individual mind to a discussion ofthe main alternative ways of describing the shared social world, namely an action-centred perspective and a power-centred perspective. It is shown that these two perspectives are combinable. A combination of the two perspectives is therefore recommended for a more balanced way of describing the shared social world. In this essay it is argued for that the individuals’ mind and her identity is dependent on the surrounding community. The identity and habits that the individual acquires is dependent of the individuals’ membership in certain groups within a community and the dominant ways of looking at the world that exist within that community. However, the existing power relations and the dominant ways of looking at the world are in turn dependent on the collective action of individuals for their existence. Relations and customs can be changed and power can be transferred to non-dominant ways of looking at the world. Such change requires collective action to take place