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Social Theories of Reasoning

Robinson, Paul David

Abstract Details

2020, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Philosophy.
This dissertation consists of four independent papers that address topics concerning the nature and function of reasoning. Together, they draw on a wide range of paleontological, archaeological, and ethnographic evidence, to constrain evolutionary theorizing about reasoning. Further, they draw on empirical results from literatures on persuasion and reasoning, to evaluate hypotheses about the characteristic features of reasoning. On these foundations, I argue against the increasingly influential view that the capacity for reasoning evolved in a social context, for public practices of persuasion and self-justification. The principal thesis of this dissertation is that the capacity for reasoning evolved for the private practice of generating true beliefs from rule-like cultural knowledge transmitted through stories, to solve novel problems in the natural environment.
Richard Samuels (Advisor)
Neil Tennant (Committee Member)
Declan Smithies (Committee Member)
183 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Robinson, P. D. (2020). Social Theories of Reasoning [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1595031126513538

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Robinson, Paul. Social Theories of Reasoning. 2020. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1595031126513538.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Robinson, Paul. "Social Theories of Reasoning." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1595031126513538

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)