Resumo

ESCOBEDO RIVERA, José. Logic in the research and development of demographic knowledge. Pap. poblac [online]. 2004, vol.10, n.40, pp.31-46. ISSN 2448-7147.

In this article, the main contributions to demogaphic knowledge are reviewed in relation to the use of logical reasoning in the research process. These reasoning relies on epistemological justification,that instruments it and gives it its content and utility. In this sense, the Malthus Hypothesis has been taken as an example of the aplication of deductive logic; demographic transition as the inductive one; the discovery of causes of puerperal fever, as abductive one; and the theory of social capillarity as an analogy.

Palavras-chave : demography; demographic research; logic of the research.