Premium
Archaeological Inference and Inductive Confirmation
Author(s) -
SMITH BRUCE D.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
american anthropologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1548-1433
pISSN - 0002-7294
DOI - 10.1525/aa.1977.79.3.02a00040
Subject(s) - inductive reasoning , inference , epistemology , archaeology , computer science , simple (philosophy) , philosophy , history
The limitations of the hypothetico‐deductive (H‐D) method of inductive confirmation are described, and an alternate method, the hypothetico‐analog (H‐A) method is described in detail. The H‐A method can be characterized as a modified and supplemented form of the simple H‐D method, and is proposed as being more appropriate for archaeological inference. Aspects of the H‐A method that are given particular attention include the establishment of boundary conditions for reference classes, plausibility considerations, multiple working hypotheses, bridging arguments, and criteria for selecting alternative hypotheses . [scientific method, archaeological inference, hypothetico‐analog method, inductive confirmation]