In this article I will briefly define what induction is and I will try to explain David Hume's problem of induction by examining the three most common problems of induction, which are the problem of uniformity of nature induction, the problem of cause-effect reasoning and the problem of dependence on past experience. Induction proposed by Bacon is defined as “a framework of scientific reasoning and practice according to which scientists arrive at explanatory theories by making observations and formulating generalizations on the basis of their specific observations” (Scott & Mungwini, 2015:42). Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Induction is considered a specific form of reasoning that takes us beyond the limits of existing evidence to conclusions about the unknown. The premises of an inductive argument indicate some degree of support for the conclusion, but they necessarily imply the conclusion. The conclusion of an inductive argument is considered a hypothesis because the conclusion is said to be followed with probability something that goes beyond the content of the premises; so this is referred to as an inductive leap. Inductive reasoning moves from specific cases and observations to more general underlying principles and hypotheses that explain them, for example Einstein's theory of relativity. Inductive reasoning is more open and explanatory than deductive reasoning. Now David Hume's problem of induction calls into question an error on which all science as introduced in the eighteenth century is based. The question is: why do past experiences give us any reason to think that future experiences will be in a particular way, such as the laws of nature appearing to be more or less constant and whether induction leads to knowledge and what its justification? Consider the problem of the uniformity of nature. According to David Hume, induction is an unjustified form of reasoning for the following reason; inductions are believed to be good because nature is uniform in a profound respect. For example, from a small sample of black crows one infers that all crows are black because there is a regularity of darkness among crows, which is a particular uniformity in nature. However, why suppose that there is a regularity of darkness among crows? What justifies this hypothesis? Hume states that nature is known to be uniform both deductively and inductively, however, it is true that one cannot deduce this presupposition and an attempt to induce the presupposition only makes the justification of induction circular. So induction is an unjustified form of reasoning and as such, this is what makes induction a problem. Considering the problem of cause and effect, Hume puts forward the idea that we do not know the relations between distinct matters of fact by reason alone, as such, “all reasoning concerning facts seems to be founded on the relation of cause and effect” (Allhoff, Kelly & McGrew, 2009:220). He states that “…as a general proposition, admitting without exception, that knowledge of this relation is not, in any case, obtained by a priori reasoning, but derives entirely from experience, when we find that some particular objects are constantly joined together. Let an object be presented to a man endowed with natural reason and such strong abilities; if that object is entirely new to him, he will not be able, by the most careful examination of its sensible qualities, to discover any of its causes or effects” (Allhoff, Kelly & McGrew, 2009:221). Furthermore, looking In the problem of dependence on past experience, inductive inference presupposes that.
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