Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T03:16:36.843Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The freak in all of us: Logical truth seeking without argumentation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 March 2011

Wim De Neys
Affiliation:
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)–Université de Toulouse, Maison de la Recherche, 31058 Toulouse Cedex 9, France. Wim.deneys@univ-tlse2.frhttp://www.univ-tlse2.fr/ltc/deneys

Abstract

Mercier and Sperber (M&S) sketch a bleak picture of logical reasoning in classic, nonargumentative tasks. I argue that recent processing data indicate that despite people's poor performance they at least seek to adhere to traditional logical norms in these tasks. This implies that classic reasoning tasks are less artificial–and logical reasoning less exceptional–than M&S's framework suggests.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ball, L. J., Philips, P., Wade, C. N. & Quayle, J. D. (2006) Effects of belief and logic on syllogistic reasoning: Eye-movement evidence for selective processing models. Experimental Psychology 53:7786.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bonner, C. & Newell, B. R. (2010) In conflict with ourselves? An investigation of heuristic and analytic processes in decision making. Memory & Cognition 38:186–96.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
De Neys, W. & Franssens, S. (2009) Belief inhibition during thinking: Not always winning but at least taking part. Cognition 113:4561.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
De Neys, W. & Glumicic, T. (2008) Conflict monitoring in dual process theories of reasoning. Cognition 106:1248–99.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Neys, W., Moyens, E. & Vansteenwegen, D. (2010) Feeling we're biased: Autonomic arousal and reasoning conflict. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience 10:208–16.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
De Neys, W., Vartanian, O. & Goel, V. (2008) Smarter than we think: When our brains detect that we are biased. Psychological Science 19:483–89.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Houdé, O., Zago, L., Mellet, E., Moutier, S., Pineau, A., Mazoyer, B. & Tzourio-Mazoyer, N. (2000) Shifting from the perceptual brain to the logical brain: The neural impact of cognitive inhibition training. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience 12:721–28.CrossRefGoogle Scholar