Deduction and induction

The couple Deduction and induction constitutes one of the dualisms which structure the Histoire of philosophy.

Definition

The logical Déduction is based on axioms or Définition S, and produces only tautological results, i.e. already registered in the premises, of the consequences of the law. The value of these results is of course function of the rigor with which they were obtained.

The induction on the other hand generates direction while passing from the facts to the law, of the private individual to the general.

In this direction, the logical deduction not producing any new knowledge, with the direction where the deduced proposals are virtually contained in their axioms, it is consequently Analytique; on the contrary, induction enriches the conscience by new facts: it is then Synthétique.

History

Platonic philosophy is readily deductive, passing from the law (ideal and immanente) with the facts. For Aristote, in fact the facts are immanents, in their specificity, and the transcendent law is obtained by induction.

Other ancient philosophers, the stoical skeptics, and the epicureans developed reflections on the experimental knowledge (recoveries at the 20th century, for example, by Bertrand Russell).

It quickly appeared (Hume then Popper) that induction is not enough to validate the scientific theories, either besides that the Réfutabilité proposed in replacement.

In addition, the idea that the deduction does not produce new results rests on a naive and ideal vision, not holding account for example time computing . Results, in theory tautological, can indeed have a cost, and thus a value higher than that of the premises on which they are based.

A close dualism is the opposition between discovered and invention .

See too

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