Abduction, complex inferences, and emergent heuristics of scientific inquiry

John Shook

pp. 157-186

in: Axiomathes 26 (2), 2016.

Abstract

The roles of abductive inference in dynamic heuristics allows scientific methodologies to test novel explanations for the world's ways. Deliberate reasoning often follows abductive patterns, as well as patterns dominated by deduction and induction, but complex mixtures of these three modes of inference are crucial for scientific explanation. All possible mixed inferences are formulated and categorized using a novel typology and nomenclature. Twenty five possible combinations among abduction, induction, and deduction are assembled and analyzed in order of complexity. There are five primary categories for sorting these inferential procedures: fallacies, non-scientific procedures, quasi-scientific procedures, scientific procedures, and scientific heuristics.