13.3: Automatic, Semi-Automatic, and Conscious Reasoning
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We have just arrived at a definition of reasoning, but it is important to note that this definition captures only one kind of reasoning. Over the last 20-30 years, psychologists and cognitive scientists have come to the conclusion that we use a variety of different methods and mechanisms to update our system of beliefs. Some of these methods involve conscious directed attention, but many do not. Here is the basic idea: many of the things that humans do are automatic and do not involve conscious control. We do not, for example, need to tell ourselves to breathe or blink (although we can). Moreover, it is not just physical activity that can be automatic; mental activities can occur automatically as well. Take recognition for example. You do not decide to recognize people—it is something you automatically do. Some associations can become automatic over time; for example, if a celebrity is frequently associated with a product, seeing the product can cause an automatic association with the celebrity (Cornell). Although learning to read requires great cognitive effort, once we can read, we no longer have to think about individual letters and words; our brains automatically recognize them and process them. Just as our muscles have memory, so do some of our mental processes, and cognitive scientists and psychologists now think that, in addition, there are a variety of automatic and semi-automatic reasoning processes.* These processes update our systems of belief in ways that are often outside of any conscious effort or awareness.
Conversely, conscious reasoning requires our attention, our conscious awareness, and our intention. In this chapter, we are primarily addressing consciously directed reasoning, since this is the kind of reasoning over which we have the most control. Nonetheless, we cannot ignore other types of reasoning processes. These processes are pervasive features of our thinking and inform our conscious judgments and decisions both positively and negatively. Given this, it is important to know when to be skeptical of the impressions and intuitions that these processes give us. As such, if we want to think more clearly and make better choices, we will have to take these kinds of processes into account. Since we will be primarily discussing directed conscious reasoning, let us simply refer to this as “reasoning” in line with the definition given.