Induction
Overview

While inductive arguments can never lead to a conclusion with certainty, often it is the best form of reasoning available. Inductive arguments can be strong, so it is important to know how to develop the best ones we can. It is also vital that we learn to analyze the inductive arguments of others. The most common error is for people to overstate the claims of inductive arguments - to say they have proven something, when they have not.

Goals

• After this module you should have an understanding of the five types of inductive reasoning.
• A large part of the module deals with hypotheses. This type of logical reasoning is central to scientific research. It is important for each of us to understand how this works.