Putting context dependent human logical reasoning into the right context

Abstract

Human logical reasoning has been investigated since the very beginning on erroneous conceptual foundations and in a biased and unsystematic way. With the appropriate approach and with more systematic research, we obtain a fundamentally different picture from that propagated by the literature. It becomes clear that human logical reasoning is not a victim of heuristics, biases, and other distorting effects, but is compatible with logic; what is more, it even becomes clear that this couldn’t be otherwise. With the correct interpretation of context and logical necessity many very confusing problems can be approached in a radically new, very simple way. Since the approach presented in this paper is in conflict with an interdisciplinary field that has developed over the course of more than a hundred years, the argument represents a fight that is reminiscent of David and Goliath. My only hope is that common sense can serve as the sling.