O RAZLOZIMA ZA RAZLIKOVANJE ABDKUKCIJE OD ZAKLJUČIVANJA DO NAJBOLJEG OBJAŠNJENJA
ON THE REASONS FOR DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN ABDUCTION AND INFERENCE TO THE BEST EXPLANATION

Summary/Abstract: Relationship between abduction and Inference to the Best Explanation is not sufficiently elaborated in contemporary literature. These terms are often unjustifiably considered to be synonymous. The aim of this paper is to articulate the meanings of these notions and make a clear distinction between them. It will be shown that, despite certain similarities, there are significant differences between abduction and Inference to the Best Explanation. Charles Sanders Peirce defines abduction as a kind of insight by which we discover new hypotheses, which are only potential explanations and truth of which is just assumed. Peirce sees the clear difference between abduction and induction. On the other hand, according to Peter Lipton, Inference to the Best Explanation is the kind of induction that compares potential explanations, filters the best one among them, and justifies our belief in its truth. We choose between available potential explanations and the best one of them is actual, i.e. true explanation. I argue that there are three significant differences between abduction and Inference to the Best Explanation: (1) their basic purposes, (2) strength of their conclusions, and (3) manner in which they function as processes.

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