Definition of Inductive Reasoning

Reasoning involves performing a mental activity that requires some intellectual effort. In this sense, reason and think they are like terms but not exactly the same. We can think of something (for example, a certain object) but this does not mean that we are reasoning. Everything reasoning supposes a display of ideas ordered with a certain procedure or method. For this reason we speak of two types of reasoning: inductive and deductive.

The science of the seventeenth century was based on inductive reasoning

From a scientific point of view, inductive reasoning developed from the seventeenth century with the contributions of the philosopher Francis Bacon. This philosopher considered that general conclusions can be reached through tables in which data is collected in a systematic and orderly way about what is being studied.

The inductive method or reasoning

Broadly speaking, this form of reasoning is said to go from the particular to the general. Thus, from some particular cases a certain regularity is observed between them and that logic is what allows us to extract a

conclusion general. In other words, specific facts are observed in detail and, subsequently, a law that explains the regularity of such events.

Criticisms of induction

Induction creates general laws from the observation of some real events. Therefore, this is a generalization that could be false. Consequently, the conclusions or laws of the inductive method they are probable and are only valid as long as no case appears that contradicts the generalization. Inductivism has been criticized as strategy valid reasoning because it presents a series of gaps.

We could raise certain criticisms that reveal the weakness of inductive reasoning

1) If it is about experimenting from concrete cases, we can ask ourselves how many cases should be part of an experimentation, a few, thousands or millions,

2) If the inductive analysis is based on the observation of the facts, it should not be forgotten that the senses they can fool us,

3) Nothing can be observed rigorously if mentally one does not start from a previous explanatory theory that allows observe reality, so pure observation does not exist and, since it does not exist, it is not reasonable that it is an essential element in a investigation.

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