Abduction in Animal Minds

Abstract: Following ideas of Ch. S. Peirce on continuity of mind (synechism) and universality of semiotic processes (pansemiotism) as well as development of the understanding of manipulative abduction in works of L. Magnani the thesis of possibility of abductive reasoning in non-human animal minds is defended. The animal capacity to form explanatory hypotheses is demonstrated by instances of grasping regularities in environment, behavior of conspecifics and even self-knowledge. In the framework of debate on instinctual or rather inferential nature of abductive capacity questions of innate and acquired mechanisms of learning, the role of language in development of explanations and priority of inner (emotional) or outer (referential) perspectives in genesis of first explanatory hypotheses are considered.

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Abduction in Animal Minds ; volume:38 ; number:1-2 ; year:2023 ; pages:21-39 ; extent:19 ; Kriterion ; 38, Heft 1-2 (2023), 21-39 (gesamt 19)

Contributors, Places and Time

• Creator: Shumilina, Vera

Further information

• DOI: 10.1515/krt-2023-0015
• URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2406271537247.651972588996
• Rights: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 14.08.2025, 10:59 AM CEST