 The best-known argument of this sort was developed by Richard Boyd in the 1980s (see Boyd 1981, 1984, 1985). It starts by underlining the theory-dependency of scientific methodology, which comprises methods for designing experiments, for assessing data, for choosing between rival hypotheses, and so on. For instance, in considering possible confounding factors from which an experimental setup has to be shielded, scientists draw heavily on already accepted theories. The argument next calls attention to the apparent reliability of this methodology, which, after all, has yielded, and continues to yield, impressively accurate theories. In particular, by relying on this methodology, scientists have for some time now been able to find ever more instrumentally adequate theories. Boyd then argues that the reliability of scientific methodology is best explained by assuming that the theories on which it relies are at least approximately true. From this and from the fact that these theories were mostly arrived at by abductive reasoning, he concludes that abduction must be a reliable rule of inference.