Louisville Process Theology Network

In spite of humankind’s intellectual accomplishments, many
behavioral scientists say that human beings really aren’t very good at
reasoning. Their studies demonstrate deficiencies such as the “confirmation
bias”; our self-serving tendency to interpret things to suit of pre-existing
beliefs. Another common deficiency they usually find is poor performance on
logic puzzles.  

Be that as it may, an article in the April issue of
“Behavioral and Brain Sciences” argues that we are actually very good at
reasoning, just not so much as individuals. Too many scientists have
misunderstood how reason works. 

The evolutionary purpose of reasoning is not to make
brilliant decisions on our own. It stimulates argument and debate that help
people develop communication skills and find more effective solutions. Most
people make plenty of mistakes by themselves, while in groups they are very
capable of making thought-provoking arguments and analyzing the arguments of
others.

So, it appears the human mind works best when challenged by
others. This fits our practical experiences. One notable study found that
participants taking a tough logic test score only 10 percent correct
individually, but 80 percent correct when working as a group.

“Why Do Humans Reason?” in the April issue of “Behavioral and
Brain Sciences.”