Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 22, 2026
05:48
The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients
Published on: June 12, 2020
Darwin's "strange inversion of reasoning"
1Center for Cognitive Studies, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155-7059, USA. daniel.dennett@tufts.edu
Summary
Evolutionary theory and Turing machines reveal a reasoning inversion: complex systems can arise without creators knowing the underlying mechanisms. This explains how intelligence evolved to understand life's adaptations.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Computer Science
- Philosophy of Science
Background:
- Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection.
- Alan Turing's concept of a universal computing machine.
Observation:
- A 19th-century critic noted Darwin's "inversion of reasoning": a perfect machine doesn't require its maker to know how to build it.
- Turing proposed a similar idea for computing machines: they don't need to know arithmetic to compute.
Findings:
- Both Darwinian evolution and Turing machines demonstrate how complex systems can emerge without inherent knowledge of their construction.
- This "inversion of reasoning" provides a framework for understanding the development of complex adaptations.
Implications:
- Explains the emergence of human intelligence and our capacity to understand the reasons behind biological adaptations.
- Unifies the physical world with concepts of meaning and purpose through evolutionary principles.
Related Concept Videos
00:59Inductive Reasoning
Inductive reasoning is a form of logical thinking that uses related observations to arrive at a general conclusion. It is uncertain and operates in degrees to which the conclusions are credible. As such, inductive arguments can be weak or strong, rather than valid or invalid, and conclusions can be used to formulate testable, falsifiable hypotheses.Inductive reasoning is common in descriptive science. A life scientist makes observations and records them. This data can be qualitative or...
02:55The Evidence for Evolution
Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.The collection of fossils within sedimentary rocks give a record of common ancestry and often depicts the history of evolution.
01:30Reasoning
Reasoning is the action of thinking about something in a logical, sensible way. It is integral to problem-solving, decision-making, and critical thinking. Reasoning can be inductive or deductive. Reasoning involves transforming information into conclusions, which is essential for problem-solving, decision-making, and critical thinking.
Inductive reasoning involves deriving generalizations from specific observations. This type of reasoning helps form beliefs about the world. For example,...
Inductive reasoning involves deriving generalizations from specific observations. This type of reasoning helps form beliefs about the world. For example,...
01:16Deductive Reasoning
Deductive reasoning, or deduction, is the type of logic used in hypothesis-based science. In deductive reasoning, the pattern of thinking moves in the opposite direction from inductive reasoning. It uses a general principle or law to predict specific results. From these general principles, a scientist can predict specific results that remain valid as long as the general principles are correct.For example, a researcher can make specific predictions from the hypothesis "butterflies are attracted...
01:37Reason and Intuition
The human brain processes information for decision-making using one of two routes: an intuitive system and a rational system (Epstein, 1994; popularized by Kahneman, 2011 as System 1 and System 2, respectively). The intuitive system is quick, impulsive, and operates with minimal effort, relying on emotions or habits to provide cues for what to do next, while the rational system is logical, analytical, deliberate, and methodical. Research in neuropsychology suggests that the brain can only use...
01:23Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective
In a study where individuals posing as strangers offered compliments and proposed casual sex to students, the responses differed significantly based on gender. Not a single woman accepted the proposal, while 70% of the men agreed. This outcome provides a useful scenario to explore through the lens of evolutionary psychology and social learning theory, highlighting the diverse perspectives on human sexual behaviors.
Evolutionary psychology provides one explanation for these findings, suggesting...
Evolutionary psychology provides one explanation for these findings, suggesting...