Inference to the Best Explanation (IBE)

The argument form Inference to the Best Explanation (IBE) is so common as to be essentially unrecognized in everyday life. When we examine the form of the argument carefully, we can see ways to evaluate these arguments that make our reasoning stronger. Our explanations can be clearer and more persuasive, and crafting good explanations is an essential part of critical reasoning. Read the target article and the Supplemental Note on IBE in Blackboard and then write a three-page essay that does the following. 1. Identifies the phenomenon to be explained 2. Identifies the candidate explanations 3. Presents the IBE in standard form 4. Explains how the “winning” explanation was chosen 5. Evaluates the authors’ reasoning about that explanation Running a little bit short is fine, but by no more than half a page. Do not go over three pages. (If you think that you absolutely must go over three pages, check with me first so that we can go over what you are trying to say. Such requests will not necessarily be approved, but they won’t be automatically denied either.) The first four of these items should come from the article and are matters of fact; either they are presented in the given source material or they are not. Grading on these items will be for completeness and accuracy. The last should be your own conclusion about the strength of the research and should draw on features of good explanations as they are given in the Supplemental Note. Grading for this will be for accuracy and having good justifications for your ideas.