abduction

Abduction, in the context of reasoning and knowledge, refers to a logical process of forming a hypothesis or explanation based on the available evidence. It involves making the best guess about why something is the way it is, even if the evidence is incomplete. For example, if you see wet pavement, you might abductively reason that it rained. This type of reasoning is crucial in everyday decision-making, scientific discovery, and problem-solving, as it helps us infer conclusions and generate ideas based on what we observe.