Hume's Problem: Induction and the Justification of Belief

Howson, Colin

ISBN 10: 019825038X / ISBN 13: 9780198250388

Published by Clarendon Press, 2003

About this Item

Physical theory routinely predicts the values of observable magnitudes within very small ranges of error. The chance of this sort of predictive success without a true theory suggests that Hume's argument is flawed. Howson argues that there is no flaw and examines the implications of this disturbing conclusion. Num Pages: 272 pages, references, index. BIC Classification: HPCD; HPK; HPL; PDA. Category: (P) Professional & Vocational. Dimension: 214 x 144 x 17. Weight in Grams: 362. . 2003. Revised ed. paperback. . . . . Books ship from the US and Ireland.

Seller Inventory # V9780198250388

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Hume's Problem: Induction and the Justification of Belief
• Publisher: Clarendon Press
• Publication Date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 019825038X
• ISBN 13: 9780198250388
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

In the mid-eighteenth century David Hume argued that successful prediction tells us nothing about the truth of the predicting theory. But physical theory routinely predicts the values of observable magnitudes within very small ranges of error. The chance of this sort of predictive success without a true theory suggests that Hume's argument is flawed. However, Colin Howson argues that there is no flaw and examines the implications of this disturbing conclusion; he also offers a solution to one of the central problems of Western philosophy, the problem of induction.

About the Author

Colin Howson is Professor of Philosophy at the London School of Economics.