A lo largo del desarrollo se elaboran y utilizan diversos sistemas o marcos di pensamiento para dar cuenta de los fenómenos que nos rodean. En este trabajo se explora cómo los niños emplean y reconcilian algunos de estos marcos, a veces contradictorios, cuando se les piden explicaciones sobre diferentes acontecimientos. En concreto, nos centramos en el conocimiento biológico, el pensamiento mágico y el pensamiento religioso. Los niños parecen emplear desde aproximadamente los cinco o seis años sistemas teóricos intuitivos pero coherentes para explicar aspectos del mundo biológico y, a la vez, otros marcos para dar cuenta de fenómenos ficticios. A partir de estas edades, pues, no confunden unos elementos con otros ni mezclan sistemas causales explicativos. Pero, ¿qué ocurre cuando se enfrentan a hechos biológicos para los que se ofrecen explicaciones basadas tanto en una causalidad natural como en una causalidad sobrenatural? A través del fenómeno de la muerte se puede explorar cómo los niños reconcilian, mantienen y emplean de forma coherente diversos sistemas de pensamiento.
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