Inductive Reasoning

Phil 101 D

(Group 1):
Adriana Lima
Alliyah Reyes
Julia Nunez
Denisha Alvarez
 Sir Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon is credited with
introducing inductive reasoning into scientific
inquiry in the 17th century.
 David Hume
David Hume rejected the introduction of
Inductive Reasoning as it provides no assurance
that the generalizations given were realistically
true.
 What is
Inductive
Reasoning?
• Philosophers maintain that your beliefs should always be backed up by reasons wh
are called premises.

Premises
_________________________________
A proposition used to justify a
conclusion.
Each premise can either be ‘True’ or
‘False’
 Therefore,
 Inductive reasoning is a method of reasoning in which examples
and observations are used to arrive at a conclusion. This
conclusion is called a hypothesis or conjecture (guess).

Any time you use a pattern to predict what will come next, you
are using inductive reasoning.

FOR EXAMPLE: The teacher used PowerPoint in the last few

classes. Therefore, the teacher will use PowerPoint tomorrow.

 The truth of the conclusion of an inductive argument may be

probable in accordance with the evidence given.
 Why is Inductive Reasoning
important?
 Inductive Reasoning has its place in the scientific method.
-Scientists use it to form hypotheses and theories.

 Philosophers use Inductive Reasoning in arguments to support

their experiences and observations in order to arrive at a
conclusion.
 Conclusions in

Inductive Reasoning:
 May be Logically True

And
 May or may not be realistically true.
What
does
this
mean?
Simplified Example 1:

Statement 1: Mango is a fruit.

Statement 2: The box is full of fruits.

Therefore, from these two premises, we draw to the conclusion

that the box is full of mangoes. ( General Conclusion)

The statements are logically true , but the conclusion, although logically true; may
or may not be realistically true.
Logically true

Realistically true
 Simplified Example 2:

Statement 1: 90% of humans are right-handed

Statement 2: John is human.
Therefore: John is right-handed.

 The conclusion is not certain.

 The conclusion is just probable.
 The statements are logically true . The conclusion may
or may not be realistically true.
Logically true

Realistically true
 From these examples we
can note the following:
 Many specific observations are made in order to make a
generalization.

 The more the observations ,higher is the chance of authenticity of

the general principle derived.
Inductive
Reasoning

Inductive reasoning
leads to probability.
 How Inductive Reasoning is
applied in philosophical work
 Philosophers/scientists make use of inductive arguments
as a way of reasoning through essays within inductive
paragraphs.
 Real World Connections:
 Inductive Reasoning is mainly used when proving theories or
statements.

E.G : All swans are white based on all observations of swans.

This conclusion was proved false when black swans were discovered.

Newton’s Laws Of Motion are examples of this type of

reasoning.

 An object in motion continues with the same speed and

direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.
Explanatory
Video
 Questions
1) In Inductive Reasoning, as long as the premises sted are logically true,
the conclusion will always be true as well.

True or False

2) The first step in Inductive Reasoning is observation.

True or False

3) Who introduced the method of Inductive Reasoning?

a) David Humes
b) Aristotle
c)Nikola Tesla
d)Sir Francis Bacon