Abduction Without Embodiment? New Paper Argues for Representational Grounding in Scientific Hypothesis Generation

A recent study published on arXiv (2608.02505) disputes the common belief that continuous sensorimotor embodiment is essential for generating scientific hypotheses. The authors propose a more limited assertion: not all abductive scientific reasoning necessitates online embodiment. They concentrate on 'identity abduction,' which involves recognizing that two separately created structures correspond to a single object through representational grounding, rather than physical interaction. The paper posits that agents can develop new inferential capabilities by transforming representations that reveal hidden invariants, utilizing scientific diagrams as a practical medium. These diagrams incorporate independently established conventions that partially standardize symmetry, topology, and operator structure across various fields, a concept termed 'convention space.' This idea addresses how abduction can occur absent a physical body. The paper was introduced on arXiv under the identifier 2608.02505v1.