The ancient Greek aphorism 'Know Thyself' was inscribed in golden letters on the lintel of the entrance to the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. According to Socrates, knowledge of the self and others is crucial for constructing a good life, and constitutes the foundation of human enlightenment. To know what we know and, more importantly, to know what we do not know underlie the potential of human excellence and the possibility of eradicating wrongdoing.
More than two thousand years on, this seemingly simple task remains the greatest challenge for humanity. From everyday life to international politics, decisions are made on the basis of how we perceive ourselves and others, and of how we make inferences about the knowledge, beliefs, intentions and desires of ourselves and others. How do these processes come about? In the past few decades, the perennial quest for the answer has given rise to the burgeoning field of social cognitive neuroscience, and has led to exciting findings that shed fresh light on what it is to be human.
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