The Nature of Induction

Abstract

Induction is a particular kind of inference. To infer, or to make an inference, is to derive a conclusion from some given premises by some process which is accepted as a rational one. The classical form of inference is deductive inference. Here the process of inference is in accordance with accepted rules of logic, and, if the inference is valid, that is, if the rules are correctly followed, the conclusion cannot be false if the premises are true, since the conclusion can contain no more information than is found in the premises. Consider:

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Knowing that all men are mortal and that Socrates is a man, we already have the information that Socrates is mortal in the premises.