Final answer:
Option D ('Reasoning is not separate from what is reasoned about') is the description that does not align with a universalist perspective, as it suggests a context-dependent view, which conflicts with the universalist's emphasis on formal logic and universal cognitive processes.
Step-by-step explanation:
All the following are descriptions of a universalist perspective except: A. Cross-culturally different beliefs emerge because of exposure to different aspects of the world and different teachings, as opposed to different cognitive processes. B. Higher order processes of reasoning are based on the formal rules of logic. C. Everyone has the same basic cognitive processes. D. Reasoning is not separate from what is reasoned about.
From a universalist perspective, higher order processes of reasoning are thought to be based on the formal rules of logic, an idea stemming from structuralist view in various academic fields. This perspective also posits that humans share the same underlying cognitive processes, regardless of cultural differences. However, the statement that reasoning is not separate from what is reasoned about suggests a context-dependent understanding of reasoning, which is not consistent with the universalist perspective that emphasizes formal rules of logic and universal cognitive processes. Therefore, option D is the one that does not describe a universalist perspective.