This book has been a long time in the making. Other issues have taken me
away from it from time to extended time. But I kept coming back to the
problem of other minds. It has remained a great issue, it is much
contested still, and it is, after all, elose to us all. I like believing
that the time taken has deepened my understanding of the problem and how
it is to be handled. Other people, some by disagreeing vehemently, have
helped greatly. I mention in particular, Brian Ellis, Robert Fox, Graeme
Marshali, Tim Oakley, Ray Pinkerton and Robert Young. Robert Pargetter
argued with me, and kept insisting that I write this book. John Bigelow,
Michael Bradley, Keith Campbell, Frank Jackson, and William Lycan
assisted by reading an earlier version and providing valued comments.
Frank Jackson has been specially helpful, not just on this topic. He can
be blamed for initially causing me to take the analogical inference
seriously. Tbe La Trobe Philosophy Department has been a good place to
do philosophy. I am grateful to Suzanne Hayster, Sandra Paul, and Betty
Pritchard for struggling at various times with various recalcitrant
manuscripts. Most particularly I thank Gai Larkin. She has seen the
project through, with considerably more than efficiency.