Inference to the Best Explanation, Cleaned Up and Made Respectable

Despite decades of focused philosophical investigation, inference to the best explanation still lacks a precise articulation and compelling defense. The primary reason for this is that it is not at all clear what it means for a hypothesis to be the best available explanation of the evidence. This chapter first seeks to rectify this problem by developing a formal explication of the explanatory virtue of power. A resulting account of inference to the best explanation is then evaluated as a form of uncertain inference. Overall, the chapter offers a precise account and novel defense of one important version of inference to the best explanation.

Research of Early-Warning Expert System for Security of Grain Storage Based on Uncertain Inference

To improve the technical level of grain storage, the knowledge and experience of grain storage，computer and artificial intelligence technology are used to research and develop the early-warning expert system of grain storage security. Furthermore，database，artificial intelligence，management information and decision support system as well as computer and information integration technology are applied to grain storage field. In general, this system is contributed to the intelligence and automation of grain storage management. What’s more, it can maximum be used to reduce the loss rate of the grain in storage process to ensure food security of the country.