A rigorous examination of induction in science, with special reference to Mill’s System of Logic.
This scholarly work surveys how scientists form general truths from particulars, arguing for a clear distinction between theoretical knowledge and practical skill.
Whewell argues for a precise understanding of induction as the move from specific observations to general propositions, focusing on the physical sciences. He challenges some of Mill’s extensions of induction to everyday experience and to practical actions, and he offers a careful critique of examples drawn from chemistry, physics, and physiology. The book emphasizes how general principles are verified and how particular discoveries fit into a broader system of scientific reasoning.
- Clear explanations of what induction is, and what it is not, in the context of science.
- Critical discussions of well-known examples and the limits of applying induction to all areas of knowledge.
- Evaluations of the methods scientists use to test ideas and establish general laws.
- Connections between historical developments in science and the theory of induction.
Ideal for readers of the philosophy of science, the history of scientific method, and anyone interested in how scientific knowledge progresses.