What is Science 3
Induction and Abduction in Western Science
Abduction is relevant to western science
as it is the method that is used in arriving at “axioms” that explain
generalized observations through induction.
We may call it the scientific method if such description is needed.
However, in western science, there are two stages. In the first stage
observations and induction take place in that order, and in the second stage
abduction and observations take place in that order. Having said that it has to
be emphasized that in the first stage the observations are dependent on theory
or one’s beliefs, and that the observations could have been proceeded by
thoughts. There are neither observations independent of conceptions, nor
perceptions without conceptions, and the idea of perceptions without
conceptions stem again from the dualities in western Chinthanaya.