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FRIHUMSAM-Fri prosj.st. hum og sam

The Reflective Mind: An Integrated Philosophical Study of Metarepresentation and Reasoning

Awarded: NOK 12.1 mill.

Project Number:

213068

Application Type:

Project Period:

2012 - 2017

Location:

-

Human beings are distinctive from most - perhaps all - other animals in having two reflective capacities. First, we think not only about our physical surroundings but also about thoughts themselves, i.e. we metarepresent. Secondly, we reason not only unc onsciously and automatically, but also consciously and critically, i.e. we engage in reflective reasoning. Both are essential to many things we do and indeed what we are. We propose to reach a deeper understanding of both metarepresentation and reasoning than hitherto achieved by investigating the complex interrelations between the two, and the importance of each for the other. Moreover, we will seek out lessons to be learnt from comparing how the two capacities are exercised across different domains of human life. Pursuing this novel, systematic and comparative approach, we will provide answers for the questions: (1) What accounts for the striking differences between the first-person and third-person perspectives in metarepresentation? Can these differ ences be understood in terms of different roles played by the perspectives in reasoning? (2) What is it for someone to act autonomously, on desires that are truly her own? We show that unraveling the intertwined contributions of metarepresentation and ref lective reasoning is necessary for reaching an answer. (3) How is communication possible, given the power and delicacy of the inferences involved? The ease and speed of successful interpretation of utterances provides an important challenge to the common idea that reasoning with metarepresentation is necessarily reflective. (4) Do metarepresentations merely track the mental states represented, or do metarepresentations in part make them what they are? Based at the CSMN in Oslo, the project will be assist ed locally by Profs. Jennifer Hornsby and Deirdre Wilson, established authorities in the areas, and nationally and internationally by partnerships with key institutions at the forefront of research.

Funding scheme:

FRIHUMSAM-Fri prosj.st. hum og sam