ISSN:
1572-8374
Keywords:
Backing
;
canonical test
;
descriptive relevance
;
dialectical
;
inductive support
;
leading principle
;
normative relevance
;
presumption
;
rebutting condition
;
relevance
;
relevant variable
;
warrant
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Linguistics and Literary Studies
Notes:
Abstract We perceive relevance by virtue of inference habits, which may be expressed as Pierce's leading principles or as Toulmin's warrants. Hence relevance in a descriptive sense is a ternary relation between two statements and a set of inference rules. For a normative sense, the warrants must be properly backed. Different types of warrant to empirical generalizations, we introduce L.J. Cohen's notion of inductive support. A to empirical generalizations, we introduce L.J. Cohen's notion of inductive support. A generalization H is supported by evidence E to degree i/in iff E indicates that H passes canonical test i, where there are n canonical tests. In a canonical test, one or more relevant variables, factors which may falsify H, are varied. H passes a test if it is not falsified. The tests are cumulative. Degree of support is relative to the canonical test, and may be modeled as relative to a point in a dialectical situation. A value of a variable at which H is falsified is a rebutting value. A is normatively relevant to B with respect to W iff sup[associated generalization(W), E] = i/n and for j 〉 i, there is a presumption that the values of j are non-rebuting.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00154327
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