A good argument
Even if our capacity to reason evolved to help us build and judge arguments, rather than to gain new knowledge and understanding, we can still use it for the latter
A few months ago, I referred to a theory that suggests the human ability to reason did not develop primarily to enable us to discover (or get closer to) the truth or to make good decisions. Instead, it evolved as a social skill, an instrument to persuade others (and arguably ourselves!) through argument, and to evaluate their claims. Both purposes are certainly useful in fostering cooperative relationships. Nonetheless, life would be boring if we humans could not repurpose the abilities and skills we acquired. The specific evolutionary advantage of playing football, making beer or croissants, or playing the piano is questionable, but our physical and psychological capacities allow us to engage in them, providing us with much enjoyment in the process. So, even if this theory is correct, nothing stops us hijacking our reasoning ability to lead us to accurate conclusions and better understanding of the world.
Reason to communicate
Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber, two French cognitive scientists, first formulated their Argumentative Theory of Reasoning in a 2011 paper. They define…
