Thinking and Reasoning

Session 14
 Thinking and Reasoning

• Thinking
– The manipulation of mental
representations of information
• Mental images
– Representations in the mind of an
object or event
 Concepts: Categorizing the World
• Concepts
– A mental grouping of similar objects, events, or
people
• Prototypes
– Typical, highly representative examples of a
concept
 Reasoning: Making Up Your Mind
• Syllogistic reasoning
– Formal reasoning in which people draw a conclusion from a set of assumptions.
– If x = y, and y = z, therefore x = z
• Premise 1 All professors are mortal.
• Premise 2 Dr. Rivera is a professor.
• Conclusion Therefore, Dr. Rivera is mortal.
– Because both premises are true, by applying logic appropriately we come to an accurate
conclusion.
Abstractly:
• Premise 1 All A’s are B.
• Premise 2 C is an A.
• Conclusion Therefore, C is a B.

• Premise 1 All A’s are B.

• Premise 2 C is an A.
• Conclusion Therefore, all A’s are C.

• Premise 1 All professors are mortal.

• Premise 2 Professor Rivera is a professor.
• Conclusion Therefore, all professors are Dr. Rivera.
 Reasoning: Making Up Your Mind
• Algorithm
– A rule that, if applied appropriately, guarantees a solution
to a problem.
• Set of instructions
• What needs to be done?
• How to do it?
• Heuristic
– A thinking strategy that may lead us to a solution to a
problem or decision, but—unlike algorithms—may
sometimes lead to errors.
• Mental shortcuts