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Abduction and Model-Based Reasoning in Plato’s Republic

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Model-Based Reasoning in Science and Technology

Part of the book series: Studies in Applied Philosophy, Epistemology and Rational Ethics ((SAPERE,volume 27))

Abstract

I begin with a typology of reasoning and cross it with types of processes. I demonstrate that the thrust of Plato’s Republic is theory-building. This involves the critical and dialectic processes which are paradigms of Platonic methodology. Book I displays abductive analogical reasoning joined by an induction that is embedded in a deduction; hence there is a deduction–induction–abduction chain. In Book VI, Plato constructs a visual model of the divided line, which also displays model-based and abductive hypothesis generation that is essential to theory building. Book VII provides an abductive metaphor model of the allegory of the cave. Both models depict degrees of reality and the ascendency of knowledge. The multimodal model-based allegory has far reaching applications from criminal justice to information systems. I conclude by capturing the narrative of the Republic as a critical and dialectic process of theory building (of justice) using deductive–inductive–abductive chains, an abductive visual model and an abductive metaphor model. Hence, the Republic is simultaneously a masterpiece of deductive reasoning and a marvel of complex model-based abduction, involving visual models, analogies and metaphors.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Some of the words of Shelley’s poem ‘To a Skylark’ (1820) have been changed, the spirit is maintained.

  2. 2.

    For further documentation of Peirce’s classification of deduction, induction and abduction as three types of inferences, see Aguayo (2011, p. 33), Aliseda (2000, p. 47), Angué (2009, pp. 65–66), Paavola (2006, p. 95), Pape (1997, p. 199); Svennevig (2001, p. 1), Upshur (1997, p. 205).

  3. 3.

    Accessed from Hoffman (1999, pp. 271–272).

  4. 4.

    Accessed from Koschmann (2003, p. 4).

  5. 5.

    McMahon, K.: Thales of Meletus. http://www.kevindmcmahon.com/Reseda/philosophy/philosophy%20web%20pages/Greek%20and%20Roman/Thales/thales6.htm.

  6. 6.

    Medical analogies are very common throughout Plato’s dialogues as Lidz claims: ‘such as comparing justice and injustice to health and illness’ (Lidz 1995, p. 529).

  7. 7.

    https://scholar.google.co.in/scholar?as_q=&as_epq=allegory+of+the+cave&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_occt=title&as_sauthors=&as_publication=&as_ylo=2001&as_yhi=2015&btnG=&hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5.

  8. 8.

    Healthinformatics, http://healthinformatics.wikispaces.com/Model+Based+Reasoning.

  9. 9.

    See http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2001/sep/07/books.humanities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, University of Mumbai, Vidyanagari, Kalina, Santacruz (E), Mumbai, 400 098, India

    Priyedarshi Jetli

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  1. Priyedarshi Jetli
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Correspondence to Priyedarshi Jetli .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Humanities, Philosophy Section, and Computational Philosophy Laboratory, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

    Lorenzo Magnani

  2. Department of Philosophy, Education and Economical-Quantitative Sciences, University of Chieti and Pescara, Chieti, Italy

    Claudia Casadio

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Jetli, P. (2016). Abduction and Model-Based Reasoning in Plato’s Republic . In: Magnani, L., Casadio, C. (eds) Model-Based Reasoning in Science and Technology. Studies in Applied Philosophy, Epistemology and Rational Ethics, vol 27. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-38983-7_20

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