The Lovely and the Probable

Abstract

[Introduction] Peter Lipton's Inference to the Best Explanation was first published in 1991. It provides a sustained defense of inference to the best explanation (IBE for short) that is both lively and engaging. It is now out in a second edition with new material (Lipton 2004). Since many readers will be familiar with the material that is carried over from the first edition, and since my reactions to at least some of this material are already recorded in the published record (see e.g. Hitchcock (1999), Hitchcock and Sober (2004)), I will focus my discussion on the material that is new to second edition. Nonetheless, I will begin with two general remarks, one positive and one critical.

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