How We Think When We Think About Human Origins

Edgren Scholars, Dr. Adam Johnson and senior Zachariah Berry will discuss their work on the cognitive science of human origins. 

Discussions of human origins typically emphasize the theological, philosophical, or scientific ramifications of theories of human origins such as young earth creationism, intelligent design, or evolution.  Rather than attempting to determine which accounts of human origins is best from these perspectives, they will examine the suite of cognitive processes that are activated by the topic of human origins. 

Chief among these cognitive processes is epistemic vigilance: a set of cognitive functions dedicated to distinguishing good information from poor information or misinformation.  They will examine how epistemic vigilance is expressed within the social milieu, its common failure modes, and its consequences for discourse on human origins – particularly within evangelical Christian circles.