MENTAL MODELS AND SYNTACTIC RULES: A STUDY OF THE RELATIONS BETWEEN SEMANTICS AND SYNTAX IN INFERENTIAL PROCESSES
MENTAL MODELS AND SYNTACTIC RULES: A STUDY OF THE RELATIONS BETWEEN SEMANTICS AND SYNTAX IN INFERENTIAL PROCESSES

Summary/Abstract: The mental model theory explains human reasoning from a semantic perspective. According to this theory, individuals reason based on possibilities (or models) corresponding to propositions. In this paper, I argue that logical forms can be drawn from such possibilities (or models) and that, therefore, it is possible that semantics and syntax are clearly linked in reasoning processes. To show it, I describe a Cosmides´ famous experiment, expose an explanation of that experiment from the mental model theory, and analyze the logical forms that can be derived from the models that can be attributed to the propositions of its experimental conditions.

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