Book | Chapter

179885

Non-explanatory and instrumental abduction

Lorenzo Magnani

pp. 63-143

Abstract

In chapter one I have illustrated the basic distinction between theoretical and manipulative abduction and the other main features of abductive cognition. Further important cognitive and logico-epistemological considerations have to be added. First of all the fact that abduction is a procedure in which something that lacks classical explanatory epistemic virtue can be accepted because it has virtue of another kind: [Gabbay and Woods, 2005] contend that abduction presents an ignorance preserving (but also an ignorance mitigating) character. From this perspective abductive reasoning is a response to an ignorance-problem; through abduction the basic ignorance – that does not have to be considered a total "ignorance" – is neither solved nor left intact. Abductive reasoning is an ignorance-preserving accommodation of the problem at hand.

Publication details

Published in:

Magnani Lorenzo (2009) Abductive cognition: the epistemological and eco-cognitive dimensions of hypothetical reasoning. Dordrecht, Springer.

Pages: 63-143

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-03631-6_2

Full citation:

Magnani Lorenzo (2009) Non-explanatory and instrumental abduction, In: Abductive cognition, Dordrecht, Springer, 63–143.