Dan Sperber and I have developed the interactionist theory of reasoning (AKA the argumentative theory of reasoning). According to this theory, the main functions of human reason would be social: to produce and evaluate arguments and justifications in dialogic contexts. The theory makes sense of otherwise puzzling features of human reason--the myside bias and other failures of individual reasoning, as well as the successes of argumentation--as is exposed at length in the book and the BBS paper linked to below. With a many great colleagues, we have conducted experiments on reasoning and argumentation with adults and children in various cultures, from Maya communities in Guatemala to Japanese students.
MAIN REFERENCES
Mercier, H., Sperber, D. The Enigma of Reason. Harvard University Press.
Mercier, H., Sperber, D. Why do humans reason? Arguments for an argumentative theory Behavioral and Brain Sciences. (Target article) (Spanish translation)
Mercier, H. The Argumentative Theory: Predictions and empirical evidence. Trends in Cognitive Sciences.
OTHER PAPERS
Altay, S., Hacquin, A., Chevallier, C. , & Mercier, H . Information delivered by a chatbot has a positive impact on COVID-19 vaccines attitudes and intentions. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied. (coverage STAT, Pour la Science, France Info, review in Rapid Reviews)
Farrell, H., Mercier, H. & Schwartzberg, M. Analytical democratic theory: A microfoundational approach. American Political Science Review. (see also The New Libertarian Elitists in Democracy)
Mercier, H. & Claidière, N. Does discussion make crowds any wiser? Cognition. Twitter thread
Altay, S., Schwartz, M., Hacquin, AS., Allard, A., Blancke, S. & Mercier, H. Scaling up interactive argumentation by providing counterarguments with a chatbot. Nature Human Behavior.
Prado, J., Léone, J., Epinat-Duclos, J., Trouche, E. & Mercier, H. The neural bases of argumentative reasoning. Brain and Language.
Trouche, E., Shao, J. & Mercier, H. Objective evaluation of demonstrative arguments. Argumentation.
Castelain, T., Bernard, S. & Mercier, H. Evidence that two‐year‐old children are sensitive to information presented in arguments. Infancy.
Mercier, H. Sudo, M., Castelain, T., Bernard, S. & Matsui, T. Japanese preschoolers’ evaluation of circular and non-circular arguments. European Journal of Developmental Psychology.
Boku, M., Yama, H. & Mercier, H. Robust improvements on reasoning performance following discussion in Japan. Japanese Psychological Research.
Mercier, H., Boudry, M. Paglieri, F. & Trouche, E. Natural born arguers: Teaching how to make the best of our reasoning abilities. Educational Psychologist.
Claidière, N., Trouche, E. & Mercier, H. Argumentation and the diffusion of counter-intuitive beliefs. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.
Trouche, E., Johansson, P., Hall, L. & Mercier, H. The selective laziness of reasoning. Cognitive Science. (coverage Neuroskeptic, Ars Technica, braindecoder, Le Monde, NYmag, Business Insider and NPR)
Castelain, T., Girotto, V., Jamet, F. & Mercier, H. Evidence for benefits of argumentation in a Mayan indigenous population. Evolution and Human Behavior.
Mercier, H., Deguchi, M., Van der Henst, J-B. & Yama, H. The benefits of argumentation are cross-culturally robust: the case of Japan. Thinking & Reasoning.
Castelain, T., Bernard, S., Van der Henst, J.-B. & Mercier, H. The influence of power and reason on young Maya children’s endorsement of testimony. Developmental Science.
Mercier, H., Trouche, E., Yama, H., Heintz, C. & Girotto, V. Experts and laymen grossly underestimate the benefits of argumentation for reasoning. Thinking & Reasoning.
Trouche, E., Sander, E. & Mercier, H. Arguments, more than confidence, explain the good performance of reasoning groups. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.
Mercier, H., Bernard, S. & Clément, F. Early sensitivity to arguments: How preschoolers weight circular arguments. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. (coverage: Research Digest, ORF, BBC World Service).
Mercier, H. & Heintz, C. Scientists’ argumentative reasoning. Thematic issue of Topoi.
Mercier, H. Recording and explaining cultural differences in argumentation. Journal of Cognition and Culture
Mercier, H. The function of reasoning: Argumentative and pragmatic alternatives. Thinking and Reasoning
Landemore, H. & Mercier, H. Talking it out’: Deliberation with others versus deliberation within. Análise Social
Mercier, H. & Strickland, B. Evaluating arguments from the reaction of the audience. Thinking and Reasoning
Mercier, H. Looking for arguments. Argumentation
Bernard, S., Mercier, H. & Clément, F. The power of well connected arguments: Are children sensitive to the connective because? Journal of Experimental Child Psychology.
Mercier, H., Landemore, H. Reasoning is for arguing: Understanding the successes and failures of deliberation Political Psychology.
Mercier, H. What good is moral reasoning? Mind & Society.
Mercier, H. . When experts argue: explaining the best and the worst of reasoning Argumentation.
Mercier, H. Reasoning serves argumentation in children Cognitive Development.
Mercier, H. On the universality of argumentative reasoning Journal of Cognition and Culture.
Mercier, H., Sperber, D. Argumentation: its adaptiveness and efficacy Behavioral and Brain Sciences. (Response)
Mercier, H., Sperber, D. Why do humans reason? Arguments for an argumentative theory Behavioral and Brain Sciences. (Target article) (Spanish translation) (Coverage, see here)
CHAPTERS, etc.
Mercier, H. (Ed.) (2013) Recording and Explaining Cultural Differences in Argumentation. Special issue of the Journal of Cognition and Culture, 13(5).
Mercier, H 2025). Reasoning and argumentation. Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science. MIT Press.
Mercier, H., Sperber, D. (2020) Bounded reason in a social world. Routledge Handbook on Bounded Rationality.
Mercier, H. (2018) Reasoning and argumentation. In Thompson, V.A. & Ball, L.V. (Eds.) International Handbook of Thinking & Reasoning. Psychology Press.
Mercier, H. (2018) Reasoning and argumentation. In Callan, H. (Ed.) International Encyclopedia of Anthropology. Wiley-Blackwell.
Mercier, H., Castelain, T., Hamid, N. & Marín Picado, B. (2017) The power of moral arguments. In Bonnefon, J.-F. & Trémolière, B. (Eds.) Moral Inferences. Psychology Press.
Mercier, H. (2016) Confirmation bias – Myside bias. In Cognitive Illusions, 2nd ed. (Pohl, R.) Psychology Press.