Two Tokens of the Inference to the Best Explanation: No-Miracle Argument and the Selectionist Explanation

Emre Arda ERDENK

doi:https://doi.org/10.18491/bijop.59053

Article Details

Two Tokens of the Inference to the Best Explanation: No-Miracle Argument and the Selectionist Explanation

Authors:

Emre Arda ERDENK

Publisher:

Mustafa ÇEVİK

Journal:

Beytulhikme An International Journal of Philosophy 2015 Vol.5 Issue 1, pp.31-46

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

7/2015

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2000765240

Frequency:

Quarterly

eISSN:

1303-8303

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18491/bijop.59053

Abstract:

 


In this paper, I evaluate van Fraassen’s critique of the Inference to the Best Explanation (IBE) by focusing mainly on his argument of bad lot. First, I argue that his attack is about the reliability of IBE as a rule of inference. Secondly, I evaluate the most famous realist IBE in the philosophy of science literature, namely the No-Miracle Argument (NMA). I stick to Mark Newman’s attack to realist NMA and admit his claim that NMA is viciously circular. Thirdly, I introduce the anti-realist alternative to the NMA, which is argued by van Fraassen, namely the Selectionist Explanation. Ultimately, I claim that, even though van Fraassen finds IBE wanting, SA has a form of IBE and thus it is a token of IBE as well.

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Article Details

Two Tokens of the Inference to the Best Explanation: No-Miracle Argument and the Selectionist Explanation

Authors: Emre Arda ERDENK

Publisher: Mustafa ÇEVİK

Journal: Beytulhikme An International Journal of Philosophy 2015 Vol.5 Issue 1, pp.31-46

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 7/2015

Document Language: English

Document ID (Org No.): 2000765240

Frequency: Quarterly

eISSN: 1303-8303

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18491/bijop.59053

Issues

Authors:

Emre Arda ERDENK

Publisher:

Mustafa ÇEVİK

Journal:

Beytulhikme An International Journal of Philosophy 2015 Vol.5 Issue 1, pp.31-46

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

7/2015

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2000765240

Frequency:

Quarterly

eISSN:

1303-8303

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18491/bijop.59053