Reasoning with Semiotics

This chapter will examine the work of American philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce that focuses on solving problems or resolving doubt using three types of reasoning methods. Peirce’s development of three reasoning types stem from his view of semiotics. The three types of reasoning proposed by Peirce are abduction, induction, and deduction. A summary of Peirce’s expansive explanations regarding abduction highlight the complexity and importance of this type of reasoning in scientific inquiry. This chapter concludes by highlighting a forensic investigation case study comparison that explores how the reasoning method utilized can influence an investigation.