The Problem Of Induction And Induction - 2197 Words

The problem of induction is a question that challenges the justification of premises and their conclusions. It also gathers empirical evidence through observations and experiences and questions their validity concerning circumstances that happen every day. In fact, Hume, one of the philosophers discussed in this paper says, that to claim something as â€Å"more probable† is invalid because the assumption that the past will predict the future is still required. One of the questions posed by the problem of induction, is how to rationally justify an inference so that we can make reliable conclusions about unobserved events based on what we have seen in the past? Karl Popper who attempted to solve the problem of induction labels it as a†¦show more content†¦The foundation for matters of fact are based on Cause and Effect where inferences are uncertain if nothing holds them together thus every effect is a distinct event from its cause (THN, 180). He then divides all reason ing into two categories: demonstrative reasoning (deductive) or that concerning relations of ideas, and moral reasoning that concerning matter of fact and existence. All arguments concerning existence are based on cause and effect where our knowledge of that relation is derived entirely from experience. People instinctively use induction as a way of reasoning. We use evidence from events that happen to us every do to make sense of things that we haven’t experienced or observed. Hume tells us that we must first decide whether the evidence we took from our experiences is any good. If the evidence we gathered gives us reason to believe things we haven’t seen or experienced then are we able to justify these claims? To further explain Hume’s point, we can use the example of having a container full of black balls you presume to be candy. After sampling a few of the balls and deciding that they taste like licorice, you gather that all the items must also taste like lic orice. All of the balls you have observed up to this point have tasted like licorice. Inductive reasoning would lead us to believe that since a few of the balls tasted like licorice every other ball must also be licorice. Even though we are assuming that all the balls must taste like licorice it