There’s deductive logic and then there’s inductive logic.
Recently, on my YouTube channel, I’ve uploaded a number of videos on the latter!
Anyone wanting to expand their thinking skills needs to learn both.
First, here’s a general overview of induction. . .
Second, I quickly review an excellent good book on the subject.
An Introduction to Probability and Inductive Logic by Ian Hacking is extremely accessible. I highly recommend it! To be sure, it’s more of a book on probability theory than inductive logic as a whole. This is NOT for you if you have no interest in studying probability.
Yet, please don’t dismiss it too fast! We often make logical inferences about probabilities. Generally speaking, logic helps us determine if a specific conclusion “follows from” given premises. Logic is about good vs. bad reasoning. And we often derive conclusions that are probabilistic.
A lot of people might not realize, for example, that the study of statistics really is a study of probability. Inductive logic partly concerns making inferences about a population-as-a-whole FROM a mere sample. That requires statistics and probability.
Third, I have a video that connects induction with the “hard” sciences.
Other things being equal, we should judge the likelihood that a theory is true by the Simplicity Criterion and the Coherence Criterion.
I also discuss Sir Isaac Newton’s thoughts on the subject, the Scientific Method, and give some basic guidelines about forming hypotheses.
Finally, I reference the Principle of Sufficient Reason (PSR).
The PSR makes sense of our experiences! Things don’t just mysteriously pop in/out of existence. Indeed, if PSR is false, our experiences would make no sense; they would become totally inexplicable.
And if the PSR is false, we would have no reason to trust that the “hard” sciences provide any explanations about reality around us. In fact, while we might think physics gives us explanation X for why Y occurred, it could be that Y occurred for no reason at all (if the PSR is false).
Conclusion: we better accept the PSR!
Fourth, I present what everybody needs to know about induction.
At the heart of induction is what’s called “Partial Enumerative Induction” and “Abstractive Induction.” So, be sure to watch it!
Fifth, I cover an important logical fallacy in induction!
Ludwig von Mises, the great economist, has some excellent coverage of the Gambler’s Fallacy in his treatise Human Action. Probability theory is often counterintuitive, but Mises brilliantly explains a fallacy that many commit.
Anybody can learn the basics!
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