Philosophy A-Level
Inference to the best explanation
What Inference to the best explanation means in Philosophy A-Level, as defined for AQA.
Definition of Inference to the best explanation
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Reference: AQA
An argument in which predictive and explanatory success supports the reality of mental states, so folk-psychology is the best hypothesis.
Topics that use Inference to the best explanation
- Physicalist theories (AQA A-Level)
Related terms
- Eliminative materialism
- First-person certainty of mental states
- Folk psychology
- Hempel's logical analysis of psychology
- Implications for physicalist theories
- Knowledge by direct access versus inference
- Knowledge of other minds
- Ordinary-language analysis of mental talk
Using Inference to the best explanation in the exam
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