Deontic Logic, Mental odels, and Wason Selection Task

Abstract

A problem related to theWason selection task is that only some thematic versions of it are executed correctly. Fodor raises the thesis that the versions that are adequately solved are those that refer to deontic situations. In his opinion, there is a deontic logic that is different to classical logic and that allows reasoning appropriately in deontic contexts. In this paper, I review Fodor’s arguments, question his assumptions, and propose an alternative explanation, based on the mental models theory, of why only some versions of the selection task with thematic content offer optimal results.