Mirror neuron system works can work with other mental simulation systems to understand and learn from others.

A recent study published in Cerebral Cortex has uncovered additional evidence of the role of the mirror neuron system in learning. They studied a middle-aged women who was born with no arms or legs. When she observed others performing acts that she could perform activated her mirror system (as it would in everyone). But the intriguing thing is that observing tasks that she could not perform herself, such as tapping a finger, the appropriate mirror neuron systems became activated but so did other regions of the brain that have been shown to be involved in "mentalizing", mentally simulating behaviors in order to understand the actions of others.

Here's a link to the ScienceNews article where I learned about this.