forum for week of 24 October: Inference to the Best Explanation

In the case of the earth’s population, many possibilities can be mentioned as it matters which patterns are being evaluated. Would it be the pattern of human population growth? Would it pertain to the extinction rate rather than population growth of species in general on the earth? To what degree/time period are we judging this change? If referring to the extinction rate, the IBE would suggest that the human population will grow to a certain point, reach a threshold, and begin a slow or drastic decline until the existence of human beings is no more. Thus continuing the pattern of life and death of species on the planet earth.

With regards to the maniac, the IBE may reflect the social environment and its effects on that person’s mind (considered a “maniac”) as an explanation to place it under the hypothesis. It is somewhat reasonable to assume that a maniac responds to certain things in a way that is deemed abnormal. Representative of the way he/she thinks, it can be reduced to the environment that the he/she was brought up in. Typically, a maniac will exist in an environment that has a norm and therefore may cause the maniac to become more isolated, mentally and/or physically. As a result of this almost forced introversion, their reality may grow to become very different compared to the norm; thereby making that way of thinking quite plausible in terms of his/her reality.

After writing this, I feel my understanding of IBE has become more convoluted and less concrete. I hope I am not too far off. -DEREK CHOW