Empirical equivalence, explanatory force, and the inference to the best theory

Poznan Studies in the Philosophy of the Sciences and the Humanities 83 (1):281-309 (2005)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

In this paper I discuss the rule of inference proposed by Kuipers under the name of Inference to the Best Theory. In particular, I argue that the rule needs to be strengthened if it is to serve realist purposes. I further describe a method for testing, and perhaps eventually justifying, a suitably strengthened version of it.

Categories

Keywords

Reprint years

Links

PhilArchive

External links

  • This entry has no external links. Add one.
Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

My notes

Similar books and articles

What is an inference rule?Ronald Fagin, Joseph Y. Halpern & Moshe Y. Vardi - 1992 - Journal of Symbolic Logic 57 (3):1018-1045.
Default privilege and bad lots: Underconsideration and explanatory inference.Kareem Khalifa - 2010 - International Studies in the Philosophy of Science 24 (1):91 – 105.
Explanatory warrant for scientific realism.Robert Pierson & Richard Reiner - 2008 - Synthese 161 (2):271 - 282.
The inference to the best explanation.Yemima Ben-Menahem - 1990 - Erkenntnis 33 (3):319-44.
The problem of basic deductive inference.Gordon Barnes - manuscript
Deflationism and Logic.Christopher Gauker - 1999 - Facta Philosophica (1):167-199.
Explanation and epistemology.William G. Lycan - 2002 - In Paul K. Moser (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Epistemology. Oxford University Press. pp. 413.
Inference to the best explanation, coherence and other explanatory virtues.Adolfas Mackonis - 2013 - Synthese 190 (6):975-995.
A Defense of a Non-Computational, Interactive Model of Visual Observation.Bonnie Tamarkin Paller - 1988 - PSA: Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association 1988:135 - 142.

Analytics

Added to PP
2009-01-28

Downloads
273 (#71,211)

6 months
85 (#49,360)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author's Profile

Igor Douven
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

Citations of this work

Theory Status, Inductive Realism, and Approximate Truth: No Miracles, No Charades.Shelby D. Hunt - 2011 - International Studies in the Philosophy of Science 25 (2):159 - 178.

Add more citations

References found in this work

Inference to the Best Explanation.Peter Lipton - 1991 - London and New York: Routledge/Taylor and Francis Group.
The Scientific Image.William Demopoulos & Bas C. van Fraassen - 1982 - Philosophical Review 91 (4):603.
Realism and truth.Michael Devitt - 1984 - Cambridge, Mass., USA: Blackwell.

View all 43 references / Add more references