Putting inference to the best explanation into context
Leah Henderson
University of Groningen, Oude Boteringestraat 52, Groningen, 9712 GL, the Netherlands
Available online 1 July 2022, Version of Record 1 July 2022.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shpsa.2022.06.009
Abstract
It is often assumed that Inference to the Best Explanation, or ‘IBE’, belongs to the context of justification. But several recent developments might lead one to ask whether it is more appropriate to situate it in the context of pursuit. Peircean abduction, which has been designated as an immediate precursor to IBE, is, according to recent scholarship, best located in the context of discovery and pursuit, rather than justification. Furthermore, alleged difficulties in reconciling IBE with Bayesianism have led to a proposal for giving IBE a non-justificatory role, which is close to that of pursuit. I argue, however, that these considerations do not make a strong case for locating IBE in the context of pursuit. Although abduction plays an important role in the context of pursuit, IBE is not simply a renaming of abduction. It has been reconceptualised in a way which makes it unsuitable to operate in the context of pursuit. Considerations concerning the compatibility between IBE and Bayesianism also do not give strong grounds to locate IBE outside the context of justification. This is because we should not expect that the context of justification can be characterised in purely probabilistic terms. Thus IBE should continue to be regarded as a candidate for characterising epistemic appraisal in the context of justification.
Keywords Inference to the best explanationAbductionPeirceContext of justificationContext of pursuit
FREE PDF GRATIS: Studies in History and Philosophy of Science
