Psychology and philosophy at Oxford. PhD at Rockefeller University in New York. Taught at Liverpool University before moving to Edinburgh to the Center for Cognitive Science in 1983. Now Director of the Human Communication Research Centre.ESRC Senior Research Fellow 1999-2002Chariman-elect of Cognitive Science Society 2002-2003Research interests are in the cognitive science of human reasoning and communication, especially thelearning of reasoning and communication skills. What is the relation between logical foundations and empirical psychology of human representation adn reasoning capacities? How can cognitive and social accounts of human reasoning and communication be integrated?

• 1. Introduction ; 2. Language, diagram and system ; 3. Hyperproof: industrial strength logic teaching ; 4. Euler and the syllogism: back to the age of reason ; 5. Why do we have to learn logic? A paradox resolved ; 6. Interpretation, reasoning, and communication ; 7. Cards and dice: assessing evidence and understanding experimenters ; 8. The proof of a power station is in the...diagrams and equations for practitioners ; 9. Involvement and detachment in learning to communicate ; 10. Bloor, Lakatos and the sociology of diagrams ; 11. Conclusions for practice ; 12. Conclusions for theory

In addressing the association between mental functioning and external representation, Seeing Reason should, I believe, be commended for its success not only in progressing a theoretical synthesis relating to the topic of reasoning and representation, but in simultaneously tackling head-on various complex issues relating to the learning of reasoning skills. It is rare to find contemporary analyses of human reasoning that attempt to cover both sides of the theory-practice divide, let alone that endeavour to build a bridge between them . . . Seeing Reason is erudite (with an appropriate smattering of wit) and is a good example of some of the best published work in contemporary cognitive science. It is the kind of book that should serve to inspire new researchers embarking on the study of deductive reasoning.