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Review
. 2014 Oct 28:8:849.
doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00849. eCollection 2014.

Causal reasoning with mental models

Sangeet S Khemlani  1 , Aron K Barbey  2 , Philip N Johnson-Laird  3
Affiliations
Review

Causal reasoning with mental models

Sangeet S Khemlani et al. Front Hum Neurosci. .

Abstract

This paper outlines the model-based theory of causal reasoning. It postulates that the core meanings of causal assertions are deterministic and refer to temporally-ordered sets of possibilities: A causes B to occur means that given A, B occurs, whereas A enables B to occur means that given A, it is possible for B to occur. The paper shows how mental models represent such assertions, and how these models underlie deductive, inductive, and abductive reasoning yielding explanations. It reviews evidence both to corroborate the theory and to account for phenomena sometimes taken to be incompatible with it. Finally, it reviews neuroscience evidence indicating that mental models for causal inference are implemented within lateral prefrontal cortex.

Keywords: causal reasoning; enabling conditions; explanations; lateral prefrontal cortex; mental models.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The common-cause and common-effect causal schemas. Reproduced with permission from Rehder (2003).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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