“Degree of conformance to our other beliefs. One of our criteria for the assessment of explanations is coherence with our existing beliefs.”

“The most important rule when assessing abductive arguments is to consider alternative explanations. When we are presented with an explanation that sounds plausible, too often we simply accept it wi...”

“We need to give an informative set of criteria for the best explanation. It is very difficult to do so. Here are some factors which should be taken into account”

“I do not know what I may appear to the world, but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettie...”

“To know the history of science is to recognize the mortality of any claim to universal truth. ”

“The scientist only imposes two things, namely truth and sincerity, imposes them upon himself and upon other scientists.”