When an Analogy Guides Science

The Methodological Role of Analogy in Black Hole Thermodynamics

Abstract

Analogy is often understood as an inferential tool for justifying projections across domains, yet such a reading proves insufficient when analogy orients theoretical development over the long term. We therefore introduce the notion of analogical support – a form of methodological justification distinct from both heuristics and empirical confirmation, capable of rendering rational the continuation of research programmes even under conditions of limited empirical access – taking black hole thermodynamics as our case study.