Analytic Engagement and the Perils of Reframing the Dual- and Single-Process Models Debate

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Philosophy of Mind

Background:

• The debate between dual- and single-process models of thinking has been a persistent issue in cognitive psychology.
• Previous arguments questioned the empirical tractability of this debate, suggesting it should be abandoned.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate Dewey's proposal to reframe the dual- vs. single-process debate in cognitive modeling terms.
• To assess whether focusing on the discrete or continuous nature of analytic engagement can resolve the debate.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of cognitive modeling approaches to the dual- vs. single-process debate.
• Critique of the proposed reframing of the debate concerning analytic engagement.

Main Results:

• The proposed cognitive modeling approach, focusing on analytic engagement, is likely to encounter the same tractability issues as prior attempts to resolve the debate.
• Reframing the debate does not inherently make it empirically tractable.

Conclusions:

• The dual-process vs. single-process debate in thinking remains empirically challenging.
• The proposed reframing in cognitive modeling terms is unlikely to provide a definitive resolution.