Knowra Induction Induction Induction is reasoning from particular observations to broader patterns or general claims. Its conclusions extend beyond the evidence and are therefore not guaranteed by it.
Enumerative induction : A form of induction that generalizes from observed cases to all or many members of a class. It captures the basic move from repeated observations to a general claim.
David Hume : A Scottish philosopher whose work shaped empiricism, skepticism, and the philosophy of causation. Hume gave the classic skeptical argument that past regularities cannot justify expectations about the future without circularity.
Deductive reasoning : Reasoning in which a conclusion follows necessarily from its premises if the inference is valid. Unlike induction, valid deduction cannot have true premises and a false conclusion.
Scientific method : A systematic approach to investigating the natural world through observation, hypothesis, testing, and revision. Scientific theories generalize from experiments and observations, while remaining open to revision.
Nelson Goodman's new riddle of induction : A problem about why some observed patterns support projections while other logically similar patterns do not. Goodman shows that past confirmation alone cannot explain which predicates are projectible.
Statistical syllogism : An inference that applies a statistical generalization to an individual case. It shows how inductive generalizations can support conclusions about particular cases.
An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding : David Hume's 1748 philosophical work on knowledge, causation, and human understanding. Its discussion of custom and causal inference sets out the famous challenge to inductive justification.
Abduction : Inference to the best explanation of observed evidence. Abduction proposes explanations, while induction primarily projects patterns or estimates.
Machine learning : Methods that enable computer systems to learn patterns from data and use them for predictions or decisions. Models infer patterns in training data and apply them to cases not yet observed.
Projectibility : The suitability of a predicate or pattern for being projected from observed cases to unobserved ones. Any account of induction must explain why some regularities support generalization better than others.
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