As you say, it's not a secure claim. The format of the argument may be logical
but its conclusion may be irrelevant; i.e., it may be logical but its content
may be false.
Since abduction operates [as Jerry pointed out] in the format of the Fallacy of
Affirming the Consequent, then, no matter how logical the format, the content
of the conclusion might be due to other factors than the major premise.
Every time it rains, my lawn is wet.
My lawn is wet
Therefore, it rained.
Edwina
----- Original Message -----
From: Jon Alan Schmidt
To: Peirce-L
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2016 3:24 PM
Subject: Re: [PEIRCE-L] Peirce's Theory of Thinking
List:
Based on what Peirce wrote in R 842 ...
CSP: Taking the general description of it as a minor premiss, and a
certain theory of logic as a major premiss, it will follow by a simple
syllogism that the humble argument is logical and that consequently whoever
acknowledges its premisses need have no scruple in accepting its conclusion.
... I am now inclined to think that the syllogism that he had in mind was
something like this.
Major premiss: Every retroductive conjecture endorsed by instinctive reason
is logical.
Minor premiss: The humble argument for the Reality of God is a retroductive
conjecture endorsed by instinctive reason.
Conclusion: The humble argument for the Reality of God is logical.
Again, this is a relatively modest claim, especially since Peirce clearly
recognized that retroduction is the least secure form of inference.
Regards,
Jon Alan Schmidt - Olathe, Kansas, USA
Professional Engineer, Amateur Philosopher, Lutheran Layman
www.LinkedIn.com/in/JonAlanSchmidt - twitter.com/JonAlanSchmidt
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