What is Abductive Reasoning?

Abductive reasoning, or abduction, is a form of logic that guesses at theories to explain a set of observations. It is a type of bottom-up logic.

Abduction doesn't guarantee that a theory is logically correct. In other words, it is a method of estimation or theory formation. If multiple theories can be found, the simplest and most likely theory is generally chosen.

Abduction vs Induction

The process of abduction is similar to another type of reasoning known as induction. The differences between the two are subtle. Induction is a more rigorous process that is appropriate for developing scientific theories, whereas abduction is more of a guess that's used for decision making. Abduction is better suited to data sets that are incomplete. Both abduction and induction are bottom-up and allow for uncertain conclusions.

When To Use Abduction

Abduction is commonly used to solve problems in the context of uncertainty. For example, medical evaluations may begin by considering the mostly likely conditions that can explain a set of symptoms. Abductive reasoning is also a common approach to artificial intelligence.

Overview: Abductive Reasoning
Function	Logic Problem Solving Critical Thinking
Value	Developing theories to explain observations in the context of uncertainty.
Direction	Bottom up, starting with observations.
Certainty	Allows for uncertain conclusions and best guesses
Similar Techniques	Inductive Reasoning Deductive Reasoning