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Question

If we want to seek new knowledge of facts about the world, we must rely on reason of the type:

This question was previously asked in
UGC NET 2015 Paper 1 Question Paper (27-Dec-2015)
The correct answer is

Inductive

The question turns on a basic difference between the two main forms of reasoning: whether the conclusion can tell us anything not already contained in the premises.

Inductive reasoning moves from particular observed instances to a general conclusion. Having observed many swans and found them white, one concludes that swans are white. The crucial feature is that the conclusion goes beyond the evidence - it asserts more than the observations strictly establish. This is what makes induction ampliative, that is, capable of extending our knowledge, and it is why the empirical sciences rest on it. The price is that inductive conclusions are probable rather than certain, and a single contrary observation can overturn them.

Deductive reasoning works the other way. If the premises are true and the form is valid, the conclusion follows necessarily - but only because it was already implicit in the premises. Deduction therefore gives certainty while telling us nothing factually new about the world; it makes explicit what we had already assumed.

Demonstrative reasoning is essentially deductive proof of this kind, so it shares the same limitation. Physiological is not a form of reasoning at all; it relates to the functioning of living organisms and is included simply as a distractor.

Hence to seek new knowledge of facts about the world we must rely on inductive reasoning.

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Similar Questions

  1. Given below are two statements:
    Statement I: The form of inductive argument is evaluated in degrees of likelihood or probability.
    Statement II: A strong inductive argument that has all the true premises, is called a “cogent” argument.
    In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

  2. Given below are two statements:
    Statement I: Inductive arguments can be invalid or valid.
    Statement II: A strong inductive argument that has all true premises is called a "cogent" argument.
    In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

  3. "Ten milligrams of substance X was fed to ten mice. All of them died within two minutes. One could conclude. This amount of substance is fatal to the average mouse". Which of the following statements regarding above argument are true? 

    A. It commits the fallacy of Hasty generalization. 

    B. It commits the fallacy of Irrelevant conclusion. 

    C. It is a strong inductive argument.

     D. It is a weak deductive argument. 

    Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

  4. Which one among the following is a presupposition in inductive reasoning?

  5. Reasoning from a specific case to a general conclusion is known as:

  6. Identify the argument which involves a leap from the known to the unknown.

  7. Inductive reasoning is grounded on:

  8. Given below are some characteristics of logical argument. Select the code which expresses a characteristic which is not of inductive in character.


Important Questions from Inductive

  1. Given below are two statements:
    Statement I: The form of inductive argument is evaluated in degrees of likelihood or probability.
    Statement II: A strong inductive argument that has all the true premises, is called a “cogent” argument.
    In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

  2. Given below are two statements:
    Statement I: Inductive arguments can be invalid or valid.
    Statement II: A strong inductive argument that has all true premises is called a "cogent" argument.
    In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

  3. "Ten milligrams of substance X was fed to ten mice. All of them died within two minutes. One could conclude. This amount of substance is fatal to the average mouse". Which of the following statements regarding above argument are true? 

    A. It commits the fallacy of Hasty generalization. 

    B. It commits the fallacy of Irrelevant conclusion. 

    C. It is a strong inductive argument.

     D. It is a weak deductive argument. 

    Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

  4. Which one among the following is a presupposition in inductive reasoning?

  5. Reasoning from a specific case to a general conclusion is known as:

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