Morality constrains the default representation of what is possible

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Philosophy of Mind

Background:

• Modal cognition, the ability to reason about possibilities, underpins complex judgments like causality and morality.
• Previous research focused on explicit reasoning about possibilities, neglecting implicit default representations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of implicit representations of possibility in human cognition.
• To differentiate explicit modal reasoning from default implicit representations.
• To examine whether individuals default to considering certain events as impossible.

Main Methods:

• Three empirical studies were conducted.
• The studies characterized the function of implicit possibility representations.
• A case study approach was used to analyze high-level cognitive judgments.

Main Results:

• Human adults frequently default to treating immoral and irrational events as impossible.
• Implicit representations of possibility play a significant role in cognition.
• Explicit deliberation is sometimes bypassed in favor of default implicit assumptions.

Conclusions:

• Default implicit representations of possibility significantly influence cognitive judgments.
• Understanding these implicit biases is crucial for comprehending human reasoning.
• Future research should explore the origins and implications of these default assumptions.