Simulation and Cognition

Abstract

What if mental simulation is not just a way to discuss and to solve problems, but also an essential aspect of brain functioning? Indeed, what if this process lies at the very foundation of our ability to understand other peoples’ intentions and emotions, to remember past events, to create new ideas, and to imagine the future? A growing body of cognitive science literature on human “mental simulation” capacity points to the cogency of this view. The present chapter begins by examining a particular kind of model, i.e. “mental models”, to more closely investigate the relation between simulation and cognition.