Reasoning about apparent contradictions

Resolution strategies and positive–negative asymmetries

Dados Bibliográficos

ID20366405
AutoresDEAN SHARPE (University of Toronto), Guy Lacroix (0000-0001-6415-4496, McGill University)
Ano1999
Volume26
Fascículo2
Páginas477-490
Data de publicação1999-06-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoJournal of Child Language (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0305-0009 • E-ISSN: 1469-7602
EditoraCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0305000999003840
PMID11706476
OpenAlexW1989183618
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas2
Referências citadas5

APPARENT CONTRADICTIONS , e.g. Did Susan like her supper? – Yes and no , involve asserting and denying the same proposition. They therefore violate the classical LAW OF NON-CONTRADICTION , suggesting the use of non-classical INTERPRETIVE STRUCTURES in natural language and reasoning. Experiment 1 explores the range of such interpretive structures available to adults ( n = 24) in their reasoning about an apparent contradiction. Experiment 2 uses a similar task to study the emergence of these interpretive structures in young children's reasoning (3;6 to 8;4, n = 48). Results suggest an early facility with resolution strategies relating to OBJECT STRUCTURE (as in, Maybe Susan liked one part of supper but didn't like another part ) and an initial tendency to focus on the negative by referring to it first (as in, Maybe Susan didn't like one part of supper but did like another part ). We discuss the results in terms of the NATURAL LOGIC of objects and their properties, and the LOGICAL RESOURCES available to young children

Contradiction · Epistemology · Linguistics · Proposition · Supper · Bayesian Modeling and Causal Inference · Child and Animal Learning Development · Computer Science · Philosophy · Psychology · Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation · Artificial Intelligence