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The evolution of rational demons

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 April 2001

Colin Allen
Colin Allen
Affiliation:
Department of Philosophy, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4237 [email protected] www-phil.tamu.edu/~colin/
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Abstract

If fast and frugal heuristics are as good as they seem to be, who needs logic and probability theory? Fast and frugal heuristics depend for their success on reliable structure in the environment. In passive environments, there is relatively little change in structure as a consequence of individual choices. But in social interactions with competing agents, the environment may be structured by agents capable of exploiting logical and probabilistic weaknesses in competitors' heuristics. Aspirations toward the ideal of a demon reasoner may consequently be adaptive for direct competition with such agents.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 23 , Issue 5 , October 2000 , pp. 742
Copyright
© 2000 Cambridge University Press

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