Complex Emergent Modularity Theory of Thinking: Its origins and initial scrutiny

"Complex Emergent Modularity Theory of Thinking: Its origins and initial scrutiny" by Dr. Colin Wastell and Zoe Purcell from Macquarie University (Australia) ​

We will present a new theory of the human mind which is a combination of emergence and modularity theories. We describe the genesis of the theory in the problem of the interaction between dual systems of reasoning. We assert that from an evolutionary stand point thinking and problem solving are better seen as being carried out by a collection of modules which rely on fundamental cognitive processes in order to deal with narrowly specified problems. We also note that the development of modules could lead to thinking being experienced as fragmented and chaotic, which it is not. An emergence solution is proposed to the issue of coherence. We then present data and analysis from initial experiments to test the explanatory power of CEM compared to dual process theories in the domain of expert mathematical reasoning.