A Class Room Logic: Deductive and Inductive, with Special Application to the Science and Art of TeachingMcNair, George Hastings
Philosophy
A Class Room Logic: Deductive and Inductive, with Special Application to the Science and Art of Teaching
McNair, George Hastings
Logic
(3) Two automobiles, resembling each other in shape of body, force
one to the conclusion that the machines are of the same make.
THE ERRORS OF ANALOGY BY MARKS OF SIMILARITY.
It follows that analogy by example gives generalizations of much
greater certitude than analogy by one or two marks of resemblance.
Here is a field bespattered from boundary to boundary with erroneous
thinking. The principle of resemblance being an innate tendency, this
form of error is most common with the immature. The child reasons
by analogy when he invests the poodle with the despised cognomen of
“kitty”; or honors every man who wears glasses with “papa.” In the
childhood of the race natural events were interpreted by means of
analogy. The wind blowing through the trees made sounds much like the
human voice; hence these noises were attributed to spirits. Primeval
man was led to believe by analogy that everything which moved was alive.
We may, therefore, think of our revered forbear as engaged in the
undignified task of running after his shadow, or chasing a leaf around
a stump.
THE VALUE OF ANALOGY.
Analogy being rich in its suggestions is the favored process of the
scientist and inventor. Newton reasoned by analogy when he tentatively
affirmed of the moon what he positively knew of the apple. Franklin’s
reasoning was analogical when he discovered the identity of the
electric spark and lightning. Because this form of induction so often
leads to error and at best involves a degree of probability far below
induction by analysis, some logicians are inclined to ignore its
generalizations altogether. Others deem this a mistake because of these
reasons: First. Analogy is serviceable to a high degree in suggesting
hypotheses which may be advanced either for the purpose of explanation
or verification. It has already been indicated that analogy is the
common instrument used by the inventor and discoverer. Second. The
principle of analogy, in reality, lies at the basis of classification;
because in this, things are grouped according to their resemblances.
Third. Analogical induction affords valuable training in originality
and initiative. A mind which easily and naturally discerns analogies
is “fertile in new ideas.”
REQUIREMENTS OF A TRUE ANALOGY.
It has been remarked that the certitude of an induction by simple
enumeration depends upon the number of uncontradicted instances. In
analogy the case is different as the process emphasizes the _weight_
of the points of resemblance rather than the _number_. In substance
the requirements of a logical analogy are three.
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