Many people distinguish between two basic kinds of argument: inductive and deductive. Induction is usually described as moving from the specific to the general, while deduction begins with the general and ends with the specific; arguments based on experience or observation are best expressed inductively, while arguments based on laws, rules, or other widely accepted principles are best expressed deductively. Consider the following example:
| Adham: I've noticed previously that every time I kick a ball up, it comes back down, so I guess this next time when I kick it up, it will come back down, too. Rizik: That's Newton's Law. Everything that goes up must come down. And so, if you kick the ball up, it must come down. |
Now i feel much more confident on my judgment to decide which one is which.
That is helpful in determining whether an argument is inductive or deductive. I never really thought of it that way, but it makes a lot of sense. This is a very good example too because there is both inductive and deductive reasoning involved. I appreciate you posting something like this because i was struggling with this also and this does help to clear it up a little. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI'm curious about the source you seem to be quoting.
ReplyDeleteTwo observations: 1) though popular, the notion that induction proceeds from general to specific, and deduction the opposite, is only sometimes true, and is not really a good general rule (see pp. 36-7 in Hurley). 2) Rizik's version of the argument it not really deductive. Newton WANTED his law to be a priori, but as we now know some things go up and do not come down.
PLEASE TURN OFF WORD VERIFICATION!
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