Analogical Reasoning in Science and Mathematics

Analogy is a powerful, yet controversial, tool of scientific reasoning. Many achievements in the history of science and mathematics have been driven by analogical inferences. Moreover, one can formulate conjectures about domains into which one does not have empirical access just based on analogy with other known domains. Nonetheless, from a logical point of view analogical inferences do not yield conclusions with certainty. So, what is it that justifies the use of analogy in science and mathematics? And how reliable is analogical reasoning? This conference will address such open philosophical problems.