---
title: "Abductive Reasoning"
description: "Inferring the most plausible explanation for a set of observations. Common in diagnosis and detective work, it yields a likely cause rather than a certain one."
last_updated: "2026-08-02"
---

# Abductive Reasoning

*Also known as: inference to the best explanation*

Inferring the most plausible explanation for a set of observations. Common in diagnosis and detective work, it yields a likely cause rather than a certain one.

*Example: You come home to a shredded pillow and a guilty-looking dog, and settle on the simplest explanation: the dog did it.*

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