Induction
Reasoning from particular cases to a general conclusion.
Works to read
- A System of Logic, Book III: Of Induction by John Stuart Mill, 1843
- Experimental Researches in Electricity, Volume 1 by Michael Faraday, 1839 · Great Books
- The Problems of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell, 1912 · Great Books
- Novum Organon Renovatum by William Whewell, 1858
Passages
From the texts
And in a way induction is opposed to syllogism: for the latter proves the major term to belong to the third term by means of the middle, the former proves the major to belong to the middle by means of the third.
— Aristotle, On Interpretation, Prior Analytics, Topics and Sophistical Refutations
The induction which proceeds by simple enumeration is puerile, leads to uncertain conclusions, and is exposed to danger from one contradictory instance, deciding generally from too small a number of facts, and those only the most obvious.
— Francis Bacon, Novum Organum
Verified quotations
But induction is impossible for those who have not sense-perception.
— Aristotle, Posterior Analytics and Physics
That the contrary of a good is an evil is shown by induction: the contrary of health is disease, of courage, cowardice, and so on
— Aristotle, Categories
the hope of obtaining electricity from ordinary magnetism, have stimulated me at various times to investigate experimentally the inductive effect of electric currents
— Michael Faraday, Experimental Researches in Electricity, Volume 1
Mathematical induction — i.e., proof by recurrence — is, on the contrary, necessarily imposed on us, because it is only the affirmation of a property of the mind itself.
— Henri Poincare, Science and Hypothesis
the proposition that the course of nature is uniform, is the fundamental principle, or general axiom of Induction.
— John Stuart Mill, A System of Logic, Book III: Of Induction
Why is a single instance, in some cases, sufficient for a complete induction, while in others, myriads of concurring instances, without a single exception known or presumed, go such a very little way toward establishing a universal proposition?
— John Stuart Mill, A System of Logic, Book III: Of Induction
Passages are verified quotations from the library that use one of these words: induction, inductive, instances. Sentences under “From the texts” are copied word for word from the full texts in this library. Read each in its context on the work's page.