OLM 1.1. Deductive and inductive approaches in ecology
The introductory chapter of this book (TBE for short) has shown that the conceptual background of Darwin’s encyclopaedic work is an explicit and logically coherent theory (Figure 1.1). This section is a brief exposition of our approach to the discipline of ecology from a theory of science aspect. TBE provides a theory-based, deductive approach attempting to integrate the results of model-based, inductive research. In this sense we follow the Darwinian tradition on modern methodological grounds.