Deductive reasoning.
This chapter describes the main accounts of deductive competence, which explain what is computed in carrying out deductions. It argues that people have a modicum of competence, which is useful in daily life and a prerequisite for acquiring logical expertise. It outlines the three main sorts of theory of deductive performance, which explain how people make deductions: They rely on factual knowledge, formal rules, or mental models. It reviews recent experimental studies of deductive reasoning in order to help readers to assess these theories of performance.
Johnson-Laird
P N
PN
Department of Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA. phil@clarity.princeton.edu