Introduction to Theoretical and Cognitive Issues on Abduction and Scientific Inference

Abstract

Part B of this handbook presents an overview of the most recent research on the foundational and cognitive issues on abduction. Lorenzo Magnani focuses on the problem of discoverability in the context of his own EC-model of abduction. John Woods’ chapter discusses abduction in mathematical space. Gerhard Minnameier analyzes abduction in its overall connection with deduction and induction and then in terms of inferential sub-processes. Gerhard Schurz discusses common cause abductions that explain correlated empirical dispositions in terms of common theoretical causes. Ilkka Niiniluoto argues that successful abduction leads to increasing truthlikeness. Finally, Ahti-Veikko Pietarinen and Francesco Bellucci examine the problem of psychologism about logic in Peirce’s notion of abduction.