AG Heinzelmann, 15.11.2024 Neutral by choice

Cognitive Neuroscience meets Philosophy of Mind - The general aim of the project is to provide an empirically informed theory of cognitive neutrality which can account for distinct mental phenomena such as mere indecision and various forms of suspension of judgement. States of neutrality are systematically underrepresented in contemporary philosophical theories as well as in cognitive neuroscience. In both cases, neglecting their existence is the result of reducing the complexity of decision-making. In experimental approaches, neutral outcomes are standardly avoided by using the method of forced choice alternatives. This project is an attempt to bring the lost complexity back and gain a more naturalistic understanding of decision-making, which includes the option of being neutral by choice. We will start with a provisional philosophical framework that describes various intuitive forms of cognitive neutrality. This framework will be translated into empirically assessable parameters, and we will develop new methods for measuring different forms of abstention in two central human decision-making settings: sensory perception and human cooperation scenarios. Based on the resulting empirical insights, the philosophical framework will be continuously revised and refined.

About Verena Wagner:

Prof. Dr. Verena Wagner is a Professor of Philosophy of Mind at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and the Berlin School of Mind and Brain. Her research explores the intersection of philosophy of mind and epistemology, focusing on cognitive neutrality, mental states, and inquiry. Her work has been published in prominent journals, including Philosophical Studies.

Committing to Indecision - A Taxonomy of Suspension of Judgment