Mirror mirror in the Brain

There's been a lot of discussion concerning Mirror Neurons (MN) in both the professional literature and the popular press. They are represented as just what the neuro-scientist ordered to exlain learning, empathy, other minds, whatever. Greg Hickok is in the process of finishing a book on this timely topic, and, unless the final product ends up saying the opposite of what I read (very unlikely), MN enthusiasts will be in for a rough time.  At the very least the cognitive benefits MNs are supposed to endow have been massively oversold, if he is correct.  I encourage you to get the book when it finally comes out. The title, Greg tells me, is "The Myth of Mirror Neurons: the real neuroscience of communication and cognition." To whet your appetite for the full course meal, Greg has allowed me to cross list some of his better posts from Talking Brains. So here's an hors d'oeuvre: here, here, here, here, and here. Enjoy.