Paranormal beliefs? A matter of core knowledge confusion (that can be simulated by a computational model)

The research on the cognitive bias involved in the endorsement of irrational believes is as vast and difficult to define as the set of possible irrational beliefs (see Vyse, 2013). One subset of irrational beliefs is that composed by beliefs about paranormal events, i.e. – according to Broad’s (1953) definition – events that violate the fundamental and scientifically founded principles of nature. This is an interesting definition, which – with reference to the violation of principles of nature – establishes a link to a specific cognitive bias responsible for paranormal beliefs due to an ontological confusion of core knowledge (e.g., Lindeman & Aarnio, 2007). The aim of this contribution is to explore why and how core knowledge confusion leads to paranormal beliefs. In our presentation, we will also point out that this form of irrationality can be explained within the framework of a semantic model.