{"pk":24743,"title":"Rethinking Inference: A Multidimensional Model of Inference for Human and Nonhuman Animals","subtitle":null,"abstract":"Traditional conceptions of inference emphasize explicit following of logical rules, often tied to the possession of natural language, thereby implying that non-human animals cannot make inferences. However, comparative research shows extensive evidence of the success of several species of non-human animals in nonverbal reasoning tasks, putting pressure on the traditional view. We deny two traditional assumptions about inference: the lingualism of thought, and the requirement of explicit rule following. We suggest instead a multidimensional model of inference illustrated through several case studies. Thereby, we categorize informational transfers across three dimensions by marking the degree of context-independence, the format of representation, and the type of perspectivity involved. By allowing for a more nuanced interpretation of empirical data than the traditional view, our framework is able to accommodate inferential behaviors of both linguistic and non-linguistic agents, and shed light on varied manifestations of inference across species and developmental stages.","language":"eng","license":{"name":"","short_name":"","text":null,"url":""},"keywords":[{"word":"Philosophy; Animal cognition; Language and thought; Reasoning; Representation; Situated cognition; Comparative Studies"}],"section":"Abstracts","is_remote":true,"remote_url":"https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5wn031j8","frozenauthors":[{"first_name":"Albert","middle_name":"","last_name":"Newen","name_suffix":"","institution":"Ruhr-Universität Bochum","department":""},{"first_name":"Sanja","middle_name":"","last_name":"Sreckovic","name_suffix":"","institution":"Ruhr University Bochum","department":""}],"date_submitted":null,"date_accepted":null,"date_published":"2024-01-01T18:00:00Z","render_galley":{"label":"PDF","type":"pdf","path":"https://journalpub.escholarship.org/cognitivesciencesociety/article/24743/galley/21522/download/"},"galleys":[{"label":"PDF","type":"pdf","path":"https://journalpub.escholarship.org/cognitivesciencesociety/article/24743/galley/14341/download/"},{"label":"PDF","type":"pdf","path":"https://journalpub.escholarship.org/cognitivesciencesociety/article/24743/galley/18199/download/"},{"label":"PDF","type":"pdf","path":"https://journalpub.escholarship.org/cognitivesciencesociety/article/24743/galley/21522/download/"}]}