What is inductive thinking, examples

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

The term "induction" means one of the ways to test the conclusion. The inductive method of thinking, according to philosophers, is a way of constructing thoughts. Which helps to find any homogeneous feature, and with its help to draw a conclusion about the final result. In simple terms: if, in order to create a logical conclusion, the same signs of something are searched for in several sources of information. This is inductive thinking.

They oppose it with deduction - when several conclusions are deduced from one existing feature. Let us recall Sherlock Holmes, who, by the mud on his boots, could determine where the guest came from, what he did before the trip, during and after it. A person, in order to make a decision or draw the right conclusion, applies both methods in combination. If you use deductive and inductive ways of thinking separately, there is a high probability of incorrect inference.

Historical digression

The concept of "induction" was first identified in ancient Greece. Local philosophers were distinguished by a special interest in the knowledge of the human brain and the principles of its work. Who is the founder of the inductive method of thinking?

Socrates was the first to mention this method in his works. He interpreted induction differently in his research. In his understanding, several studied signs can point to different conclusions. Behind him, Aristotle called inductive thinking the comparative analysis of signs and the conclusion based on the general indicator obtained from them. The philosopher opposed syllogism to induction, as the search for an average sign. During the Renaissance, this theory was heavily criticized.

Syllogism has generally ceased to be studied as a research method for obtaining reliable information. Induction was considered the surest way to determine the truth. The modern concept of this method was defined by Francis Bacon. The syllogism, in his opinion, is not credible. However, the concept of inductive thinking in its interpretation does not contradict the syllogical one. The basis of Bacon's method is comparison. The scientist believed that in order to come to a reliable conclusion about something, it is necessary to analyze all the available signs and identify similarities. After combining the data and getting a clear picture of the vision of the true essence of the event.

The next person to contribute to the study of inductive thinking was John Mill. A supporter of the theory that the syllogism method should not combine similar features. More correctwill consider each one on an individual basis. He characterized inductive thinking as the study of homogeneous features of one phenomenon. Conclusions based on common features are made using the following methods:

1. Consent. If several phenomena have one common feature, it is their cause.
2. The difference. If two phenomena have one difference among the mass of similar signs, this is their cause.
3. Remains. After studying all the signs of the phenomenon, there remain those that cannot be attributed to its causes at first glance. Despite the fact that they sometimes seem absurd, often one of them is the cause of the phenomenon being studied.
4. Compliance changes. When different phenomena change under the influence of one circumstance, it carries the essence of the cause.

As can be seen from the study methods, Bacon's theory is based on the principles of deduction. Residual method, for example, where the conclusion is built from partial features.

Features of the inductive method of constructing a conclusion

There are two types of induction:

1. General induction (complete). Each of several phenomena is studied in turn. Looking for a match with a certain given attribute. In the case when all phenomena are similar in this feature, they have a common nature. For example: all books in English are published by the publishing house in hardcover. All books in French are published by the publishing house in hardcover. English and French are foreign languages. All books in foreign languages are published by the publishing house in hardcover. As can be seen from the example, inductive thinking is not alwaysbrings the true solution.
2. Selective induction (private). The conclusion from this method is often not reliable. Compare selectively signs of phenomena. Based on the results of the study, a conclusion is drawn about the similarity of the phenomena. Such a private conclusion is not always correct. For example: Sugar dissolves in water, s alt dissolves in water, soda dissolves in water. Sugar, s alt and soda are granular bulk products. Probably all granular bulk products dissolve in water.

Use

Inductive thinking as the only true way to obtain reliable information cannot be used. Together with the deductive, they constitute a comprehensive in-depth study of a selected one or more phenomena. The general conclusion obtained by the deductive method is confirmed by the signs revealed by induction. The use of two methods at the same time gives a person the opportunity to build a reliable conclusion, having comprehensively studied its elements. Those signs that are not true will disappear by themselves in the process of information processing.

The result is selected by comparing the remaining, most probable elements that match all parameters. Judging by the work of Descartes and other scientists who studied this phenomenon, conclusions were drawn using a combination of deductive and inductive thinking. The appearance of false conclusions in this way was minimized. The scientist who tries to "fit" the features to the desired conclusion has obvious problems. If you use both ways of thinking.

The role of induction inpsychology

Often, in patients of psychologists, the inductive method of thinking prevails in reasoning. As a result, a lot of conclusions appear that do not correspond to reality. The manifestation of pathologies of thinking is manifested from an incorrectly used deduction. Such conclusions threaten the life of the patient.

Example

A person decides that food is harmful. He completely refuses to eat. The sight and smell of food gives him panic attacks. The psyche ceases to cope and he cannot eat. In moments of emotional crises, aggression is characteristic, an eating disorder may be accompanied by bulimia or anorexia.

This phenomenon is called "fixation". Deduction helps to cope with it. Treatment must be carried out under the supervision of a professional psychologist, preferably with a practice in this form of deviation.

How to develop logical thinking

Psychologists advise several ways to develop thinking:

1. Solve problems. Mathematics is the most striking example of deduction and induction combined. Solving problems allows you to distinguish truth from lies and teaches you to draw the right conclusions.
2. New knowledge. It is recommended to read more, examples from books develop the thought form. A person builds interconnected chains of events in his head, trains the construction of logical conclusions.
3. Accuracy. To achieve specificity in judgments and conclusions. Only exact formulations and concretized conclusions give the concept of a true reliable phenomenon.
4. Developing the flexibility of thinking. The experience thata person receives from life in general and from communication, affects his judgments. A person with a narrow outlook is not able to build many probabilities in the development of events or explain the phenomenon most fully.
5. Observations. They make up the inner experience of the individual. Based on observations, all conclusions in the life of an individual are built.

Psychological induction, in most cases, means the development of a disease in a person or his immersion in an abnormal state.

Cons of induction

Inductive thinking is limited to logical conclusions. The presence of similar features in the subject of study does not prove its reliability. There must be several signs proving the truth of the phenomenon, only then it can be argued that it is true.

Using purely inductive thinking makes the conclusion implausible. The construction of thoughts in this way involves the subsequent consideration of similar signs for their causes and combinations. The purpose of such an analysis is to obtain evidence for correct conclusions. They must meet the criteria of logic and rationalism.

Differences in thinking methods

Deduction is characterized by the search for similar features. After, on the basis of logical conclusions, a conclusion is built. Variants of probable events appear from the logical conclusions that a person receives with the help of a chain of inferences. In the books of Arthur Conan Doyle, the famous detective demonstrates this method of thinking. The philosopher Descartes called the deductive method of thinking intuitive. Long reflectionslead to a logical, sometimes unexpected, true conclusion.

Inductive thinking is used more often to test hypotheses derived from deductive constructions of thought. Thus, induction cannot select a reliable phenomenon, but it can select its features with amazing accuracy.

Examples

Inductive way of thinking: the subject of jokes is the so-called "female logic". When from one incorrectly spoken word a conclusion is made about the speaker or about what he wanted to say with his phrase.

For example: my husband said that I didn’t add s alt to the salad, my husband noticed that the stain on the T-shirt was not washed off, my husband does not praise me for the cleanliness of the apartment. Conclusion: my husband thinks that I am a bad housewife. Although in fact the conclusion is not substantiated here. The studied signs only illustrate the behavior of the husband.

The deductive method in this case would look like this: "the husband said that I overs alted the salad, he did not like the taste of the salad, the salad is not tasty." Conclusion: "I do not cook deliciously, according to my husband." This is an example of the notorious "female logic", which often causes scandals in the family.

In closing

Any conclusion obtained by inductive thinking requires a mandatory double-check for logic. In most cases, these assumptions turn out to be wrong. To obtain a reliable conclusion and make the right decision, it is required to double-check the similarity of features several times, build logical chains and justifyresults obtained.