– How people learn to think logically? Is there any limits to possible logical thinking, depending on age?
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The human brain is going to think with increasingly-effective logic as it matures. Learning comes from the ongoing development of the brain–its increased capacity to be logical–coupled with appropriate opportunities to use that logic in the real world.
That is, nature makes us capable of logic and nurture lets us practice being logical.
At age 2, behavior and verbal skills are advanced enough for adults to recognize developing reasoning skills. Developmental standards for two-year-olds include:
– Recognizing when there is a pattern or sequence, such as in items laid out in front of them or in their daily schedule, and beginning to describe what they think will happen next or point out changes in the pattern.
– Navigating their environment by choosing a path of travel that may take them over, around, under, or through various obstacles. Having a plan to overcome those obstacles and, often, modifying the environment to make navigation easier.
– Noticing the weather and understanding how temperature and precipitation relate to appropriate clothing like winter hats vs. sun hats, rain boots, sweaters, etc.
– Recognizing that there are consequences tied to actions. Throwing an item up into the air will result in that item falling down. Hitting another child will result in being put outside of the group for a short amount of time.
However, even though the logic centers of the brain comprehend consequences, the executive centers of the brain are extremely underdeveloped at this point, and so toddlers will do something even when they do not desire the consequence and they are aware of that consequence.
Adults can mistake childish compulsiveness as children being unable to think logically. That’s not what’s going on. The ability to think logically develops before the ability to behave logically.
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