Introduction
Perhaps science explains events by fitting them into inductive patterns. Patterns that have held in the past will hold in the future. But can induction be justified? What of counter-induction (the principle that patterns that have held in the past will not hold in the future)? And even if some form of induction holds, what properties should we project into the future (is grass green, or is it grue?)
Hume, D. (1975) Enquiries concerning Human Understanding and concerning the Principles of Morals, Oxford: OUP section iv pp25-39
Goodman, N. (1983) Fact Fiction and Forecast, Harvard: Harvard University Press pp72-81
Secondary and background reading:
Godfrey-Smith, P. (2003) Theory and Reality: an introduction to the philosophy of science, Chicago: University of Chicago Press chapter 3
Bird, A. (1998) Philosophy of Science London: UCL Press chapter 5
Chalmers, A.F. (1999) What is this thing called Science? 3rd Edition, Milton Keynes: Open University Press chapters 1, 2 & 4
Ladyman, J (2002) Understanding Philosophy of Science, London: Routledge chapter 2
O’Hear, A. (1989) An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science, Oxford: Oxford University Press chapter 2
The slides for this lecture are here.
A summary of Hume on induction is here.
Next session.
