Cogprints

How to reason without words: inference as categorization

Vigo, Professor Ronaldo and Allen, Colin (2009) How to reason without words: inference as categorization. [Journal (Paginated)]

Full text available as:

[img]
Preview
PDF (Vigo & Allen (2009)) - Published Version
370Kb

Abstract

The idea that reasoning is a singular accomplishment of the human species has an ancient pedigree.Yet this idea remains as controversial as it is ancient. Those who would deny reasoning to nonhuman animals typically hold a language-based conception of inference which places it beyond the reach of languageless creatures. Others reject such an anthropocentric conception of reasoning on the basis of similar performance by humans and animals in some reasoning tasks, such as transitive inference. Here, building on the modal similarity theory of Vigo [J Exp Theor Artif Intell, 2008 (in press)], we offer an account in which reasoning depends on a core suite of subsymbolic processes for similarity assessment, discrimination, and categorization. We argue that premise-based inference operates through these subsymbolic processes, even in humans. Given the robust discrimination and categorization abilities of some species of nonhuman animals, we believe that they should also be regarded as capable of simple forms of inference. Finally, we explain how this account of reasoning applies to the kinds of transitive inferences that many nonhuman animals display.

Item Type:Journal (Paginated)
Keywords:Animal Cognition, Categorization, Reasoning, Learning, Similarity
Subjects:Psychology > Applied Cognitive Psychology
Psychology > Cognitive Psychology
Psychology > Comparative Psychology
Computer Science > Artificial Intelligence
Psychology > Developmental Psychology
Linguistics > Comparative Linguistics
Philosophy > Philosophy of Language
Philosophy > Philosophy of Mind
ID Code:7958
Deposited By: Zeigler , Derek
Deposited On:09 Nov 2012 17:47
Last Modified:09 Nov 2012 17:47

References in Article

Select the SEEK icon to attempt to find the referenced article. If it does not appear to be in cogprints you will be forwarded to the paracite service. Poorly formated references will probably not work.

Allen C (1999) Animal concepts revisited. Erkenntnis 51:33–40

Allen C (2006) Transitive inferences in animals: reasoning or

conditioned associations? In: Hurley S, Nudds M (eds) Rational animals? Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 173–184

Battista MT, Clements DH (1991) Using spatial imagery in geometric

reasoning. Arith Teacher 39:18–21

Bermu´dez J (2003) Thinking without words. Oxford University Press,

New York

Bond AB, Kamil AC, Balda RP (2003) Social complexity and

transitive inference in corvids. Anim Behav 65:479–487

Bower GH, Clark MC (1969) Narrative stories as mediators for serial

learning. Psychon Sci 14:181–182

Brunswick E (1955) ‘‘Ratiomorphic’’ models of perception and

thinking. Acta Psychol 11:108–109

Bryant P, Trabasso T (1971) Transitive inferences and memory in

young children. Nature 232:456–458

Chomsky N (1980) Rules and representations. Basil Blackwell,

Oxford

Clark A (1998) Magic words: how language augments human

computation. In: Carruthers P, Boucher J (eds) Language and

thought: interdisciplinary themes. Cambridge University Press,

Cambridge, pp 162–183

Dictionary (2008) New Oxford American dictionary. Accessed via

Dictionary.app for Mac OS X, Cupertino, Apple Inc.

Dusek A, Eichenbaum H (1997) The hippocampus and memory for

orderly stimulus relations. Proc Natl Acad Sci 94:7109–7114

Fersen L von, Wynne CDL, Delius JD, Staddon JER (1991)

Transitive inference formation in pigeons. J Exp Psychol Anim

B 17:334–341

Fodor J, Pylyshyn Z (1988) Connectionism and cognitive architecture. Cognition 28:3–71

Grosenick L, Clement TS, Fernald RD (2007) Fish can infer social

rank by observation alone. Nature 445:429–432

Herrnstein RJ (1990) Levels of stimulus control: a functional

approach. Cognition 37:133–166

Herrnstein RJ, Loveland DH (1964) Complex visual concepts in the

pigeon. Science 146:549–551

Hogue ME, Beaugrand JP, Lagu¨e PC (1996) Coherent use of

information by hens observing their former dominant defeating

or being defeated by a stranger. Behav Process 38:241–252

Hurley S, Nudds M (2006) Rational animals? Oxford University

Press, Oxford

Inhelder B, Piaget J (1958) The growth of logical thinking from

childhood to adolescence. Basic Books, New York

Ko¨hler W (1929) Gestalt psychology. Horace Liveright, New York

Landy D, Goldstone RL (2007) Formal notations are diagrams:

evidence from a production task. Mem Cognit 35:2033–2040

McGonigle B, Chalmers M (1992) Monkeys are rational! Q J Exp

Psychol 45B:198–228

McGonigle B, Chalmers M (2002) The growth of cognitive structure

in monkeys and men. In: Fountain SB, Bunsey MD, Danks JH,

McBeath MK (eds) Animal cognition and sequential behaviour:

behavioral, biological and computational perspectives. Kluwer

Academic, Boston, pp 269–314

Pernet C, Franceries X, Basan S, Cassol E, De´monet JF, Celsisa P.

(2004) Anatomy and time course of discrimination and categorization processes in vision: an fMRI study. Neuroimage

22:1563–1577

Piaget J (1971) Biology and knowledge. University of Chicago Press,

Chicago

Rumbaugh DM, Washburn DA, Hillix WA (1996) Respondents,

operants, and emergents: toward an integrated perspective on

behavior. In: Pribram K, King J (eds) Learning as a selforganizing process. Erlbaum, Hillsdale, pp 57–73

Seyfarth RM, Cheney DL (2002) The structure of social knowledge in

monkeys. In: Bekoff M, Allen C, Burghardt GM (eds) The

cognitive animal: empirical and theoretical perspectives on

animal cognition. MIT Press, Cambridge, pp 379–384

Siegal M, Varley R, Want SC (2001) Mind over grammar: reasoning

in aphasia and development. Trends Cogn Sci 5:296–301

Sorabji R (1993) Animal minds and human morals: the origins of

Western debate. Cornell University Press, Ithaca

Stephan A (1999) Are animals capable of concepts? Erkenntnis

51:583–596

Templeton J (1998) Learning from others’ mistakes: a paradox

revisited. Anim Behav 55:79–85

Thomas RK (2002) Conditional discrimination learning and conditional reasoning by nonhuman animals. Updated version of

Thomas RK (1991) Misuse of conditional reasoning in animal

research with special reference to evolution of language.

Southern Society for Philosophy and Psychology, Atlanta, GA.

http://rkthomas.myweb.uga.edu/Conditional.htm. Accessed 07

January 2008

Treichler FR (2007) Monkeys making a list: checking it twice? In:

Washburn DA (ed) Primate perspectives on behavior and

cognition. American Psychological Association, Washington

DC, pp 143–160

Treichler FR, Raghanti MA, Van Tilburg DN (2003) Linking of

serially ordered lists by Macaque monkeys (Macaca mulatta):

list position influences. J Exp Psychol Anim B 29:211–221

Vigo R (2008) Modal similarity. J Exp Theor Artif Intell (in press)

Watanabe S, Huber L (2006) Animal logics: decisions in the absence

of human language. Anim Cogn 9:235–245

Watson JS (2005) Causal logic and the intentional stance: retrospection

and logical thought. Interdisciplines. http://www.interdisciplines.

org/causality/papers/7/4/1#_4. Accessed 27 January 2008

Watson JS, Gergely G, Csanyi V, Topal J, Gacsi M, Sarkozi Z (2001)

Distinguishing logic from association in the solution of an

invisible displacement task by children (Homo sapiens) and dogs

(Canis familiaris): using negation of disjunction. J Comp

Psychol 115:219–226

Zentall TR (2001) The case for a cognitive approach to animal learning and behavior. Behav Process 54:65–78

Metadata

Repository Staff Only: item control page