The flawed logic of theory-free natural kind reasoning

DAVOODY BENI M.

NEW IDEAS IN PSYCHOLOGY, cilt.80, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 80
  • Basım Tarihi: 2026
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.newideapsych.2025.101219
  • Dergi Adı: NEW IDEAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Psycinfo
  • Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

This paper critiques the theory-neutral Natural Kind Reasoning (NKR) in consciousness science. It demonstrates a methodological incompatibility arising from McKilliam's (2024) proposal: deploying Inference to the Best Explanation (IBE) within NKR directly contradicts the aspiration for theory-neutrality. I argue that IBE's inherent reliance on pre-existing theoretical frameworks undermines the possibility of a genuinely theory-neutral methodology for the science of consciousness.