In praise of folly: flexible goals and human cognition

Trends Cogn Sci. 2024 Apr 13:S1364-6613(24)00059-7. doi: 10.1016/j.tics.2024.03.006. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTHumans often pursue idiosyncratic goals that appear remote from functional ends, including information gain. We suggest that this is valuable because goals (even prima facie foolish or unachievable ones) contain structured information that scaffolds thinking and planning. By evaluating hypotheses and plans with respect to their goals, humans can discover new ideas that go beyond prior knowledge and observable evidence. These hypotheses and plans can be transmitted independently of their original motivations, adapted across generations, and serve as an engine of cultural evolution. Here, we review recent empirical and computational research underlying goal generation and planning and discuss the ways that the flexibility of our motivational system supports cognitive gains for both individuals and societies.PMID:38616478 | DOI:10.1016/j.tics.2024.03.006

Source: Trends Cogn Sci - April 15, 2024 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Junyi Chu Joshua B Tenenbaum Laura E Schulz Source Type: research