Final answer:
Knowledge reduces cognitive load by enabling the use of mental shortcuts and the reliance on internalized facts, thus making logical thinking more efficient. Research shows that both primates and humans can use cognitive learning to visualize solutions and rely on past experiences to ease cognitive processing. Ultimately, well-developed knowledge bases enhance brain efficiency and lessen overreliance on cognitive biases.
Step-by-step explanation:
Knowledge has a significant impact on reducing the cognitive load of logical thinking. By internalizing and owning critical facts and concepts, individuals reduce dependency on external tools for problem-solving and decision-making. This internal knowledge base allows for the application of heuristics—mental shortcuts that facilitate quick inferences and decisions, drawing on both a priori knowledge which doesn't require experience and empirical knowledge gained through experiences. Moreover, by learning and practicing mental activities like doing math in one's head, people can strengthen their ability to engage in rational thinking and computation without overloading cognition.
This cognitive use of knowledge and the application of logical, semantic, systemic, and empirical forms of knowledge enables the determination of true or false claims. Classic research by Wolfgang Köhler with chimpanzees indicates that higher cognitive learning, which allows for abstract thought and solving complex problems, can diminish the cognitive load by enabling individuals to visualize solutions and draw upon past experiences. This suggests that the same principles apply to human cognition.
Ultimately, knowledge enhances cognitive processing by laying down the neural paths that enable the brain to project the world in a way that makes sense, reducing the effort involved in logical thinking. One's cognitive processes can thus become more efficient, avoiding excessive recourse to cognitive biases that often lead to less optimal decisions.