Bridging Philosophy and Logic: A Journey Through Reasoning

While researching for my new book about the history of AI, I have been challenged to understand more profound levels of human cognition. Specifically when discussing the relationship between IA (Intelligent Automation) and AI (Artificial Intelligence). This has led me down a rabbit hole, but I wanted to share the beginnings of my journey.

Understanding how various forms of reasoning relate to classical philosophical concepts in philosophy and logic can enhance our understanding of knowledge and its practical applications. When we consider the connection between the classical philosophical concepts of theory, poiesis, and praxis and the types of reasoning—deductive, inductive, and abductive—let's delve into the intriguing relationship between these concepts.

Deductive Reasoning:

Deductive reasoning involves deriving specific conclusions from general principles. The logical certainty characterizes that the conclusion must also be proper if the premises are true. For instance:

Example: All humans are mortal. Socrates is a human. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.

Inductive Reasoning:

Inductive reasoning moves from specific observations to broader generalizations. Unlike deduction, the conclusions drawn from inductive reasoning are probable rather than certain. For example:

Example: Every swan we have seen is white. Therefore, all swans are probably white.

Abductive Reasoning:

Abductive reasoning seeks the best explanation for a given set of observations. It involves starting with an observation and then finding the simplest and most likely explanation. For example:

Example: The ground is wet. The best explanation is that it rained.

Philosophical Concepts

Theoria (Theory):

Theoria represents contemplative and theoretical knowledge. It involves pursuing understanding for its own sake, delving into the fundamental nature of reality, existence, and knowledge.

Poiesis (Creation):

Poiesis encompasses creative and productive knowledge. It involves making or producing something, often with an aesthetic or practical focus, such as artistic creation, crafting, or writing.

Praxis (Action):

Praxis refers to practical and action-oriented knowledge. It concerns ethical and effective action in the world, encompassing political action, ethical decision-making, and practical problem-solving.

Drawing the Correlation

Deductive Reasoning and Theoria:

Both deductive reasoning and theoria are structured and logical processes aimed at achieving certainty and understanding. They complement theora, which seeks to derive truths through contemplation and analysis, with their rigorous systematic thinking.

This can be compared to symbolic AI or historical expert systems.

Inductive Reasoning and Poiesis:

Similarly to poiesis, inductive reasoning generates broader theories or patterns based on specific observations, just as poiesis involves creating and producing tangible outcomes. In both cases, new insights or products are created through generative processes.

This can be compared to subsymbolic AI or neural networks.

Abductive Reasoning and Praxis:

Practicing abductive reasoning aligns with praxis because of its practical nature. Both aim for effective solutions and actions based on the best available evidence. Abductive reasoning is based on finding the most plausible explanation to guide actions.

I am not aware of any current AI implementations using this logic or reasoning.

Conclusion

By understanding the relationship between these reasoning and philosophical concepts, we gain a deeper understanding of knowledge and its applications. Theory is complemented by deductive reasoning, the creative process of poiesis matches inductive reasoning, and abductive reasoning reflects practical action. We can enhance our intellectual and practical pursuits by recognizing these connections between thought, creation, and action.