Purpose: This paper distinguishes between “methodology” and “method” and discusses methodological levels of abductive logic as related to the knowledge classification systems. The purpose is to clarify the application of abductive logic for analyzing knowledge classification systems as an alternative for mainstream logics in the field, i.e. inductive and deductive logic.
Methodology: Conceptual analysis.
Findings: Abductive logic approaches reality as a social construction. It is obviously an interpretative and constructivist approach. Therefore its aim is to understand the social phenomena that socially constructed by social agents. Therefore any given knowledge classification system is a socially constructed phenomenon reflecting subjective biases and prejudices of its creators. Knowledge classification systems aren’t innocent objective systems. They are systems that determined and restricted by cultural and social forces operating as their conditions of production. Every classification system has some kind of ontological and epistemological commitment. Therefore we should recognize “alternative” classification systems based on “alternative” ontological and epistemological commitments, as legitimate as current mainstream classification systems.
Originality/Value: Introduces methodological levels of abductive logic and provides LIS professionals with a new and alternative way for analyzing knowledge classification systems as interpretative and semantic social constructions.