I recently came across a fascinating theory concerning the evolution of human reason known as “The Argumentative Theory of Human Reason”. However, I prefer to use the term “theory of social reasoning” or simply “social reasoning”.
The theory proposes that the primary function of reason is not to improve our knowledge but to exchange arguments with each other.
Reason did not evolve to help us to reason individually but to reason socially. In other words, reasoning is a social phenomenon.
I like the theory – if true – as it reinforces the idea that cognition is distributed and that knowledge is communal.
It also bolsters the view that small group conversations help us make better sense of the world and should be at the heart of deliberative democracy.
You can see what I have written on the subject and the resources I have pulled together so far here — The Argumentative Theory of Human Reason.
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