Foundations of joint action: what are minimal forms of shared intentionality?

In this paper, we introduce the reader to current debates and theoretical disputes concerning minimal forms of shared intentionality. After briefly considering research on the phylogenetic origins of the human capacity to cooperate, we turn to minimal forms of shared intentionality observable in infants and young children. Based on these findings, we then briefly discuss whether dominant theories of shared intentionality adequately capture the full range of collective intentional phenomena or rely on overly complex cognitive assumptions. We conclude with an overview of the contributions to this special issue.