Call for papers

Explanation is one of the central goals of scientific research and abduction is a type of inference in which explanation plays a key role. Thus far, most philosophers will agree. When we consider more specific claims, however, many questions are still open to debate. What are the different forms of explanation and of abduction? How do these interrelate? To what extent are they open for formal explication? What about the relation to other notions, such as confirmation, induction, IBE, causality, belief revision, …? The aim of this interdisciplinary workshop is to further our understanding of these notions and of their interrelation.

We welcome contributions addressing topics from the following (non-exhaustive) list:

    • different forms of explanation and of abduction
    • status of abduction
    • patterns of abduction
    • relation between induction and abduction
    • formal explications for abduction
    • abduction as hypothesis generation or as hypothesis evaluation
    • explanation and argumentation
    • abduction and argumentation
    • Inference to the Best Explanation
    • case studies for explanation
    • case studies for abduction

Submission details:

Authors are invited to submit an original, previously unpublished abstract of 300 to 500 words, on any of the topics listed above. Send your abstract before March 29 to: pawel.pawlowski@ugent.be

Important dates:

Abstract submission deadline: March 29
Notification: April 5