Abductive Research Articles

Highly idealized models of scientific inquiry as conceptual systems

The social epistemology of science has adopted agent-based computer simulations as one of its core methods for investigating the dynamics of scientific inquiry. The epistemic status of these highly idealized models is currently under active debate in which they are often associated either with predictive or the argumentative functions. These two functions roughly correspond to interpreting simulations as virtual experiments or formalized thought experiments, respectively. This paper advances the argumentative account of modeling by proposing that models serve as a means to (re)conceptualize the macro-level dynamics of complex social epistemic interactions. I apply results from the epistemology of scientific modeling and the psychology of mental simulation to the ongoing debate in the social epistemology of science. Instead of considering simulation models as predictive devices, I view them as artifacts that exemplify abstract hypothetical properties of complex social epistemic processes in order to advance scientific understanding, hypothesis formation, and communication. Models need not be accurate representations to serve these purposes. They should be regarded as pragmatic cognitive tools that engender rather than replace intuitions in philosophical reasoning and argumentation. Furthermore, I aim to explain why the community tends to converge around few model templates: Since models have the potential to transform our intuitive comprehension of the subject of inquiry, successful models may literally capture the imagination of the modeling community.

Teaching abductive reasoning for use as a problem-solving tool in organic chemistry and beyond

The second-year undergraduate Organic Chemistry course sequence is often cited as one of the most, if not the most, challenging for students in the US. Thus, a persistent question remains: What is it about Organic Chemistry that makes the course so difficult for students? Herein, we put forward the hypothesis that a new mode of thinking and problem solving is expected of the students; these skills have not yet been developed in their prior scientific coursework and are often not deliberately taught in Organic Chemistry. This form of reasoning and problem solving, known as abductive reasoning, is highlighted for its connection to medical diagnosis and scientific thinking. We provide examples to showcase how instructors could explicitly foreground the reasoning process in their classroom. Ultimately, we argue that teaching how to reason using abduction may benefit students in both the short term (in the course) and the long term (in their careers as scientists and medical practitioners).

Assessing the role of information technology in promoting environmental sustainability and preventing crime in E-commerce

AbstractThe rise of e-commerce necessitates sustainable practices for a greener future. While the e-commerce boom offers immense economic opportunities, minimizing its environmental impact and upholding ethical business conduct are essential. Current research on e-commerce heavily focuses on information technology (IT) for understanding and improving consumer acceptance. However, a critical gap exists in exploring IT's potential contributions to sustainability, crime prevention, and environmental safety. This study bridges this gap by exploring the role of IT integration in managerial practices to enhance environmental protection, crime prevention, and foster sustainability within Bangladesh's booming e-commerce sector. Focusing on e-commerce managers' perspectives, the research examines effective leadership strategies for IT implementation. Additionally, it utilizes the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to analyze the relationships between user perception and its impact on e-commerce performance. Using a structured questionnaire, we collected the data from 418 e-commerce managers. The research design incorporates a robust framework, hypothesis formulation, and methodological rigor grounded in TAM principles. The findings reveal a significant positive contribution of IT to environmental protection, crime prevention, and overall sustainability within the e-commerce sector. Managers' perceptions highlight that effective IT utilization ensures environmental safety, safeguards data against criminal activity, and promotes organizational sustainability. Furthermore, this research provides a roadmap for e-commerce businesses to accelerate their sustainability efforts. It also equips academics with valuable insights to advance knowledge on building a secure and sustainable future in the digital age.

The key universal quality of logical abductive inferences: Does optimization of eco-cognitive situatedness supersede other criteria like minimality, consistency, relevance and plausibility?

Abstract Throughout my investigation into abductive cognition, which is also associated with the endeavor to naturalize logic of its special consequence relation, I stressed the relevance of the following key elements: ‘optimization of eco-cognitive situatedness’, ‘maximization of changeability’ of both input and output of the general form of an inferential abductive problem and high ‘information-sensitiveness’. These elements will be summarized and further deepened in this article. In addition, I will demonstrate how, in contrast to traditional demonstrative logical ideal systems, which are typified by what I refer to as the ‘maximization of memorylessness’, a naturalized logic of abduction demonstrates the necessity of recording the ‘past life’ of abductive inferential praxes. Lastly, I will analyze the significance and nature of the maximization of eco-cognitive openness, which characterizes abduction in science and describes how the many above-mentioned elements are relevant to the aims of new eco-cognitive epistemology.

Model-based abductive cognition: What thought experiments teach us

Abstract In this article, we want to demonstrate how thoughts experiments (TEs) incorporate cognitive structures—abductive inferences as conceptual metaphors—that reliably underpin everyday thinking and are enhanced and rendered more effective in scientific and philosophical contexts. Indeed one might successfully rethink the inferential structure at the heart of thought experiment production as the application of a generative abductive procedure. We shall characterize TES as possessing two characteristics that are essential to the definitions of abductive and metaphorical thinking, but when considered in relation to TE’s description, can excuse mild bewilderment: both knowledge-enhancing and ignorance-preserving features. In sum, we will say that TEs realize extended conceptual metaphors, which instantiate forms of abductive reasoning and, therefore, partially preserve the ignorance of the authors who produce them (even if they also increase a bit their knowledge by—so to speak—mitigating ignorance). In certain fortunate and exceptional instances, however, TEs can also provide a purely knowledge-enhancing benefit; in order to do this, a reference to the innovative and creative function of thought experiments in Galileo’s findings is also included.

Revisiting Neolithic Ali Kosh: New Insights into Settlement Sustainability, Human Mobility, and Subsistence Strategies

ABSTRACT In western Asia, the Zagros foothills played a fundamental role in the formulation of early explanatory hypotheses on the origins of agriculture. The excavations at the emblematic Neolithic site of Ali Kosh, Deh Luran, led to the development of the so-called “marginal zone hypothesis.” However, some chronological inconsistencies remained until a new stratigraphic excavation was carried out in 2017 to revise the findings. According to the new evaluation, Ali Kosh was occupied from ca. 7500–6500 cal b.c. During the Boz Mordeh phase (ca. 7500–7350 b.c.), the inhabitants occupied the site seasonally, but they became increasingly sedentary in the succeeding Ali Kosh phase (ca. 7350–7000 b.c.). In addition to obsidian, they also imported beads of stone and sea shell. Moreover, they increasingly relied on herding sheep and fully domesticated goats. The emergence of Neolithic life in the lowlands was a direct consequence of cultural changes in the central Zagros. It is not yet known whether this was a result of climatic deterioration or population pressure in the highlands.

Time is running out: How design thinking shapes team innovation under time constraints

Design thinking as a problem-solving framework has garnered significant attention for its reliance on abductive reasoning and human-centeredness. Existing literature has underscored the importance of these elements in fostering an array of organizational outcomes and enhancing the overall stakeholder satisfaction. However, less is known about how these reasoning approaches influence team innovation quality, particularly in time-constrained settings. The present study aims to fill this gap by focusing on team dynamics and examining the effects of abductive reasoning and human-centeredness on team innovation quality. We conduct an empirical analysis involving seven teams, each undertaking multiple innovation decisions under time constraints in a laboratory game context. Our results suggest an interplay between the reasoning approaches and team innovation quality. Specifically, teams that relied more on abductive reasoning in time-constrained tasks tended to make lower-quality decisions, while teams that were highly human-centered produced decisions of higher quality. Importantly, team size emerged as a key moderating variable. Larger teams were found to exert an even more negative impact of abductive reasoning on team innovation quality while amplifying the positive effects of human-centeredness.

Developing a Novel Theory of Corporate Misconduct Using Abductive Reasoning: A Mixed-Method Approach

Developing a Novel Theory of Corporate Misconduct Using Abductive Reasoning: A Mixed-Method Approach

Advancing Scholarship through Abductive Reasoning and Question-Driven Research

Advancing Scholarship through Abductive Reasoning and Question-Driven Research

Individual Differences in Self-Enhancement in Terms of One’s Personality Traits: Relationships with Ruminations and Regulatory Focus

While personality researchers have shown interest in studying self-enhancement, they have not extensively focused on its relationships with distinct cognitive and motivational variables. This exploratory study aims to investigate whether overestimating one’s personality traits is related to a lower level of ruminations, a higher promotion regulatory focus, and a lower prevention focus. Promotion regulatory focus involves self-regulation based on one’s striving for an ideal-self, as opposed to an ought-self, which is typical of a prevention regulatory focus. Self-enhancement occurs when the level of self-rated personality traits exceeds that of informant-rated personality traits. The Five-Factor personality traits were considered: emotional stability, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Certain hypotheses found empirical support. Self-enhancement in different traits were linked to different cognitive and motivational variables. Primarily, an overly positive self-view of one’s emotional stability was accompanied by a lower level of intrusive rumination, a higher level of promotion focus, and a lower prevention focus. The self-enhancement in extraversion was related to a higher level of promotion focus and a lower level of intrusive ruminations while self-enhancement in conscientiousness was linked to a higher promotion focus. Methodological issues and hypothesis formulation were further discussed.

Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex Coordinates Contextual Mental Imagery for Single-Beat Manipulation during Rhythmic Sensorimotor Synchronization.

Flexible pulse-by-pulse regulation of sensorimotor synchronization is crucial for voluntarily showing rhythmic behaviors synchronously with external cueing; however, the underpinning neurophysiological mechanisms remain unclear. We hypothesized that the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) plays a key role by coordinating both proactive and reactive motor outcomes based on contextual mental imagery. To test our hypothesis, a missing-oddball task in finger-tapping paradigms was conducted in 33 healthy young volunteers. The dynamic properties of the dACC were evaluated by event-related deep-brain activity (ER-DBA), supported by event-related potential (ERP) analysis and behavioral evaluation based on signal detection theory. We found that ER-DBA activation/deactivation reflected a strategic choice of motor control modality in accordance with mental imagery. Reverse ERP traces, as omission responses, confirmed that the imagery was contextual. We found that mental imagery was updated only by environmental changes via perceptual evidence and response-based abductive reasoning. Moreover, stable on-pulse tapping was achievable by maintaining proactive control while creating an imagery of syncopated rhythms from simple beat trains, whereas accuracy was degraded with frequent erroneous tapping for missing pulses. We conclude that the dACC voluntarily regulates rhythmic sensorimotor synchronization by utilizing contextual mental imagery based on experience and by creating novel rhythms.

Abduction and analogies in linguistic reconstruction inferences

Abstract The aim of this article is to analyse the kind of inference used in the reconstruction of proto-languages. Hypothesis is at the core of this reconstruction process and this, together with the structure of reasoning involved, indicates abductive reasoning. We analyse abductive reasoning, and specify its nuances and particularities. The novelty we introduce is the importance of context as we focus on a form of abduction that goes beyond the context in which the scientific work is being developed by incorporating contexts from other sciences. Therefore, an intercontextual chain of inference can be part of abductive reasoning processes and the resulting hypothesis remains provisional. Several disciplines, such as archaeology, history and linguistics, play a cognitive role in the reconstruction of proto-languages, thus requiring more than one context. We use the case of the reconstruction of proto-Semitic and the unexpected fact of the Ugarit and Ebla discoveries (plus Amorite names). This sample may shed light on the use of abduction to explain certain scientific practices.

Implementation of Inquiry Learning Based on Creativity and Science Process Skills

After inquiry learning research is carried out, it is necessary to investigate problems and find problems based on clear concepts based on observations. Creativity is the ability to create something new. The proposed activities are based on physical phenomena through experiments. Prior knowledge of a problem may detract from an investigation, as it may prefer to retain known evidence rather than devise new alternatives. Creativity is the ability to think to come up with solutions, ideas, ways, products as solutions to existing problems. Innovative is the process of doing something in a new way. The process skills of discovering and developing concepts, theories, legal principles and facts are science process skills (KPS). Based on investigations and problem findings, creative inquiry learning with a process skills approach is used. The method in this research is analysis of indicators of inquiry learning syntax (problem formulation, hypothesis formulation, data collection, hypothesis testing and conclusions), creativity (KE experimental group and KK control group) and science process skills (KE and KK). The concepts developed mutually support inquiry, creativity and process skills. Students' ability to investigate and find problems can be realized.

The Effect of Taxes on Market Balance With Subsidies As a Moderating Variable in West Papua Province

This research is quantitative research with an exploratory approach. The data used in this article is secondary data that researchers obtained from the National Strategic Food Price Information Center for West Papua Province in the last 5 years. Apart from that, researchers also received it from the Central Statistics Agency. The data used in this research was analyzed using the smart PLS 4.0 analysis tool. The result in this article show the arguments that the researcher formed and formulated in the Hypothesis formulation section, namely the Sanctions variable, can have a positive relationship and a significant influence on the Market Balance and Subsidy variables and strengthen the influence of the Tax variable on Market Balance. This can be caused because the P-Values ​​value is positive and is below the 0.05 significance level, namely 0.000 for the influence of the Tax variable on Market Balance and 0.000 for the influence of the Subsidy moderation variable on the influence of the Tax variable on the Market Balance variable. This is because taxes can influence sales prices, thus affecting demand and supply. This means that increasing taxes can increase sales prices which affect supply and demand. Taxes that are properly targeted can overcome price monopoly and increase market balance. In line with this, subsidies also have the same reason for achieving market balance. Thus, the first and second hypotheses in the research can be accepted.

“Give It Branches & Roots”: Virginia Woolf and the Vegetal Event of Literature

Abstract This article examines Virginia Woolf’s figurations of her writing process on the basis of her published diaries with particular attention to vegetal imagery and metaphor. Employing insights from critical plant studies, specifically the works of Michael Marder, and biosemiotics, specifically those of Wendy Wheeler, I investigate the image of fluid, open-ended, multiplicitous, and non-appropriative vegetal (non-)self as convergent with Woolf’s view of the writing subject. Further, I argue that writing, as presented by the modernist author, requires the suspension of conscious ideation and increased attention to the pre-conceptual and therefore bears the trace of what Marder terms “plant-thinking.” Referring to the biosemiotic concept of abductive logic, I propose that the image of writing emerging from Woolf’s diary possesses a necessary embodied, intuitive, and relational component, characteristic and continuous with semiosis that pervades the entirety of more-than-human biological life. Finally, drawing on Marder’s reconceptualisation of the event according to the specificity of the vegetal, I suggest that literature, for Woolf, constitutes just such a vegetal event – both rooted and proliferating, unfolding towards exteriority and predicated upon chance rather than the logic of finality.

A systematic review on the role of nature-based solutions (NbS) in housing delivery in Africa

Purpose The study aims to examine the potential benefits of integrating nature-based solutions (NbS) in the housing sector. Design/methodology/approach The approach adopted was a systematic literature review aided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews criteria and the VOSviewer software. Abductive reasoning was used to analyze the collected data, which was then subjected to content analysis through an iterative read-and-review procedure. Findings The study identified green walls, indoor greenery, porous pavement and landscaping, rainwater harvesting and water purification and green roofs as elements of buildings where NbS should be incorporated. Although nature-based research on integrated greenery facades and roof applications was noted, rainwater harvesting and water purification-oriented research remained dominant. These findings demonstrate the advantages of implementing NbS in the housing sector, including energy efficiency, environmental development, flood prevention and sustainable water management. Integrating NbS into housing designs can considerably contribute to the creation of more resilient, eco-friendly and comfortable living environments. However, the adoption of NbS faces hurdles, including a lack of awareness, limited policy support and economic constraints. Practical implications This study recommends that NbS be mainstreamed into housing development and knowledge exchange opportunities between sub-Saharan Africa and Europe, as well as other regions, to promote the adoption of NbS through research and collaborations. Also, it contributes to the discourse of sustainable affordable housing in the Global South while addressing United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 11, 12, 13 and 15. This study offers valuable guidance to stakeholders, thereby fostering the development of more sustainable and resilient housing practices and policies. Originality/value The study used VOSviewer software visualization to identify structural patterns and track prominent research frontiers, allowing for a more thorough yet concise mapping and capture of a scientific knowledge domain.

Between source language constructions and target language expectations

Abstract This paper is situated within Cognitive Translation Studies (CTS). It follows Halverson’s Gravitational Pull Hypothesis (2003, 2010, 2017, 2024), a framework that explains the translation process and its outcome by invoking the cognitive mechanisms of the bilingual mind. The paper adopts the cognitive, multi-method approach of the GPH to describe and compare the use of Spanish passive constructions in a multilingual comparable corpus of translated and non-translated texts. In doing so, it pushes the boundaries of the model by: (a) following an onomasiological rather than a semasiological approach; (b) focusing on constructions rather than lexical items; and (c) explicitly incorporating the aspect of translator socialisation into the hypothesis formulation, thereby taking into account the situatedness of translation. The results provide evidence in support of the GPH, as salience of a construction in the source or target language leads to its overrepresentation in the translated texts, and non-salience leads to its underrepresentation.

Failing forward: the transformative power of writing in interdisciplinary ethnographic research

PurposeTo address complex societal challenges, particularly in the context of climate change, there is a growing interest in employing interdisciplinary ethnographic research (IER). This paper examines the experiences associated with participating in IER, drawing insights from a collaboration project that integrates organization studies with energy management research.Design/methodology/approachWithin the context of a three-year interdisciplinary collaboration, the paper focuses on the performance of an interview and the analysis thereof. It draws from this example to highlight the difficulties in translating discipline-specific language and understanding failures in IER. Including an exploration of the process of recovery, involving analyzing research results and the subsequent collaborative writing of a paper.FindingsThe primary findings revolve around the challenges inherent in ethnography as an interdisciplinary method. These challenges include language barriers between disciplines and the complexities of comprehending and learning from failures in interdisciplinary research.Originality/valueThe contribution lies in its exploration of abductive reasoning in IER, shedding light on the complexities and opportunities associated with interdisciplinary collaboration in the making. By emphasizing the importance of going into the field before negotiating common ground, the approach presented provides a unique perspective that not only addresses challenges but also facilitates the development of involved disciplines and scholars through self-reflection.HighlightsThe paper shows the importance of both expertise and experience knowledge in interdisciplinary ethnographic research.By using different writing styles, the importance of language and translations between disciplines is exemplified.The paper provides an example of how to engage in abductive reasoning in interdisciplinary ethnographic research.The paper calls for a broad understanding of failure and success in interdisciplinary ethnographic research.

An AI-powered approach to the semiotic reconstruction of narratives

This article presents a novel and highly interactive process to generate natural language narratives based on our ongoing work on semiotic relations, providing four criteria for composing new narratives from existing stories. The wide applicability of this semiotic reconstruction process is suggested by a reputed literary scholar’s deconstructive claim that new narratives can often be shown to be a tissue of previous narratives. Along, respectively, three semiotic axes – syntagmatic, paradigmatic, and meronymic – existing stories can yield new stories by the combination, imitation, or expansion of an iconic scene; lastly, a new story may emerge through reversal via an antithetic consideration, i.e., through the adoption of opposite values. Targeting casual users, we present a fully operational prototype with a simple and user-friendly interface that incorporates an AI agent, namely ChatGPT. The prototype, in a coauthor capacity, generates context-compatible sequences of events in storyboard format using backward-chaining abductive reasoning (employing Stable Diffusion to draw scene illustrations), conforming as much as possible to the user’s authorial instructions. The extensive repertoire of book and movie summaries available to the AI agent obviates the need to manually supply laborious and error-prone context specifications. A user study was conducted to evaluate user experience and satisfaction with the generated narratives. The preliminary findings suggest that our approach has the potential to enhance story quality while offering a positive user experience.

Assessment of Knowledge Management Strategies on Performance of Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute

The study determined the influence of knowledge management strategies on the performance of Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute. The study objectives were to determine how knowledge acquisition, storage, expertise (Technology) and accessibility influence the performance of Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute. The study was guided by Resource-Based View (RBV), Knowledge-Based View (KBV), Dynamic Capabilities Theory (DCT) and Social Exchange Theory (SET). Since the study involved gathering of quantitative and qualitative data, it adopted mixed method approach. The study employed a descriptive survey research design, this was due to the prediction of knowledge management strategies and the performance Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, in the analysis of different trends, and the formulation of hypotheses that directs future actions. The target population was 168 employees from the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute. The researcher sampled 118 respondents using Yamane formula (2007) formula, by doing so, the chance of bias in participant selection was reduced and the sample was guaranteed to be representative of the whole population.Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics in the form of means, percentages, and frequencies with help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences v25 (SPSS V25) software. Results were displayed in form of pie chart and tables from which inferences and conclusions were drawn. The findings of the study revealed that knowledge sharing had the most significant influence on the performance of Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute while knowledge acquisition had the least influence on performance of Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute. The research finally concluded that knowledge management strategies had a significant effect on the performance of Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute.