(Koll/OS) Inference to the Best Explanation
Dozent:innen: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Cornelis MenkeKurzname: Koll/OS Inference
Kurs-Nr.: 05.127.435
Kurstyp: Kolloquium
Inhalt
“Inference to the best explanation” (IBE) or “abduction” is a type of inference that can be distinguished not only from deductions but also from inductions: One concludes that a theory is (presumably) true because it is the best explanation of a phenomenon to be explained.The insight that explanatory power is essential for scientific inferences goes back to Aristotle. The distinction between inductions and abductions is more recent - it dates back to the pragmatist Charles Peirce (1865); Gilbert Harman (1965) coined the term IBE a hundred years later, and Peter Lipton (1991) demonstrated its philosophical scope.
Since then, IBE has been the subject of philosophical controversy: Why should a good or the best explanation be “true”? Is the inference, as Ernan McMullin (1992) says, “the inference that makes science”, or is the value of good explanations purely pragmatic (van Fraassen 1980). Does the tenability of Scientific Realism hinge on IBE (Boyd, Psillos), or is this defense defective and circular?
The seminar jumps directly into the current controversy: We will discuss Igor Douven's recently published book The Art of Abduction. Combining epistemological and psychological approaches, Douven argues that IBE is not only epistemologically rational but also psychologically fundamental: it is (normatively) a correct way of reasoning, and also (descriptively) a pervasive one. In addition, we will discuss recent papers and rebuttals on IBE.
The seminar is research-oriented, and prior knowledge of the philosophy of science or the willingness to acquire it quickly is very helpful. The languages of the seminar are English and German.
For students who are working on a thesis or a research-related term paper, it also offers the opportunity to discuss their own work (in German or English).
Termine
| Datum (Wochentag) | Zeit | Ort |
|---|---|---|
| 29.10.2025 (Mittwoch) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 030 SR 04 9125 - Bausparkasse Mainz |
| 05.11.2025 (Mittwoch) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 030 SR 04 9125 - Bausparkasse Mainz |
| 12.11.2025 (Mittwoch) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 030 SR 04 9125 - Bausparkasse Mainz |
| 19.11.2025 (Mittwoch) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 030 SR 04 9125 - Bausparkasse Mainz |
| 26.11.2025 (Mittwoch) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 030 SR 04 9125 - Bausparkasse Mainz |
| 03.12.2025 (Mittwoch) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 030 SR 04 9125 - Bausparkasse Mainz |
| 10.12.2025 (Mittwoch) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 030 SR 04 9125 - Bausparkasse Mainz |
| 17.12.2025 (Mittwoch) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 030 SR 04 9125 - Bausparkasse Mainz |
| 07.01.2026 (Mittwoch) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 030 SR 04 9125 - Bausparkasse Mainz |
| 14.01.2026 (Mittwoch) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 030 SR 04 9125 - Bausparkasse Mainz |
| 21.01.2026 (Mittwoch) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 030 SR 04 9125 - Bausparkasse Mainz |
| 28.01.2026 (Mittwoch) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 030 SR 04 9125 - Bausparkasse Mainz |
| 04.02.2026 (Mittwoch) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 030 SR 04 9125 - Bausparkasse Mainz |
| 11.02.2026 (Mittwoch) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 030 SR 04 9125 - Bausparkasse Mainz |