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Jonah Schupbach, Utah :: Trimming IBE鈥檚 Hedges: In Defense of 鈥楴a茂ve鈥� Explanatory Inference
Friday February 9, 2024

Abstract: Traditional (some would say na茂ve) Inference to the Best Explanation  (IBE) infers a potential explanation of some explanandum from the comparative claim that this inferred  explanation is the best of the available potential explanations. In  response to philosophical objections to this inference form, IBE鈥檚  defenders have put forward a host of hedges, alternately strengthening IBE鈥檚 premises and weakening its conclusion to make it more defensible.  Contemporary (some would say sophisticated) forms of IBE typically  integrate a combination of such hedges, effectively rendering them far  less applicable, powerful, and simple than the traditional version. This talk argues that a proper formal defense of  IBE has no need for such hedges. This is because classic objections to  鈥渘a茂ve鈥� IBE鈥攁long with the hedges put forward in response to these鈥攁re  founded on two deep misunderstandings. We offer a more plausible and charitable understanding of 鈥渂est explanation鈥�  along with a discussion of the nature and formal evaluation of  inference. Once these ideas are properly understood, 鈥渘a茂ve鈥� IBE in its  simplest, traditional form turns out to be surprisingly defensible.