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Modelling Abduction in Science by means of a Modal Adaptive Logic

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Abstract

Scientists confronted with multiple explanatory hypotheses as a result of their abductive inferences, generally want to reason further on the different hypotheses one by one. This paper presents a modal adaptive logic MLA s that enables us to model abduction in such a way that the different explanatory hypotheses can be derived individually. This modelling is illustrated with a case study on the different hypotheses on the origin of the Moon.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Logic and Philosophy of Science, Ghent University, Blandijnberg 2, 9000, Gent, Belgium

    Tjerk Gauderis

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  1. Tjerk Gauderis
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Correspondence to Tjerk Gauderis.

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Research for this paper was supported by project subventions from the Special Research Fund (BOF) of Ghent University. I am indebted to Joke Meheus, Bert Leuridan, Erik Weber and Dagmar Provijn for their helpful comments on earlier drafts. I further want to thank Mathieu Beirlaen and Hans Lycke for their useful suggestions.

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Gauderis, T. Modelling Abduction in Science by means of a Modal Adaptive Logic. Found Sci 18, 611–624 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10699-012-9293-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10699-012-9293-8

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