The Availability Heuristic and Inference to the Best Explanation

Logos and Episteme 10 (4):409-432 (2019)
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Abstract

This paper shows how the availability heuristic can be used to justify inference to the best explanation in such a way that van Fraassen's infamous "best of a bad lot" objection can be adroitly avoided. With this end in mind, a dynamic and contextual version of the erotetic model of explanation sufficient to ground this response is presented and defended.

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Michael Shaffer
Gustavus Adolphus College

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