Essay
FIL 155
- Course
- FIL 155 (PHILOSOPHY)
- Institution
- University Of Pretoria (UP)
Essay of 2 pages for the course FIL 155 at UP (Essay examples)
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1. In less than 300 words, explain what the problem of induction is. Include in your answerclear definitions and an example of induction, what the problem with induction is, a
proposed solution to the problem, and finally why that solution may not work.
The problem of induction refers to the philosophical challenge of justifying the use of inductive
reasoning to acquire knowledge. Inductive reasoning refers to the drawing of probable conclusions
based on particular observations, assuming these observations are true. This kind of reasoning is
pervasive in everyday life, and is also the basis of scientific inquiry, but the problem of induction
raises the question of the warrantability of these practices.
An example of induction is:
Premise 1: Swan A is white.
Premise 2: Swan B is white.
Premise 3: All the swans observed thereafter white.
Conclusion: Therefore, it is probable that all swans are white.
The problem of induction was first formulated by the philosopher David Hume. Hume argued that no
matter how many observations we made in the past there is no certainty that these observations
with be matched in the future. For example, even if all past swans observed are white, there is no
guarantee that future swans will be white as well. The problem of induction is that the conclusions
we induce are never certain, and are always open to being falsified.
One proposed solution is to argue that, even though the conclusions we induce are not certain, they
are still reasonable to believe based on the evidence available to us. This is the approach taken by
most scientists, who accept the inevitability of uncertainty in their conclusions, because their work is
based on assumptions, but still believe they are justified in their methods. This however does not
solve the problem of induction because the conclusions are always open to falsification.
In conclusion, the problem of induction challenges the validity of inductive reasoning which has led
to various proposed solutions to this problem. While these solutions may have their own
advantages, they also have limitations and cannot fully resolve the problem of induction.
2. In less than 300 words, explain Karl Popper’s theory of falsificationism. Include in your
answer Popper’s reasoning against verificationism, concept of pseudoscience, and the
process of scientific testing.
Karl Popper's theory of falsificationism is a philosophical approach that tests the validity of scientific
theories by testing whether it can be falsified or not. Popper argued that scientific theories cannot
be confirmed or verified, only corroborated. According to him, something can only be classified as
scientific if it can be falsified.
Popper's theory of falsificationism was developed as a response to verificationism, the idea that
scientific theories can be confirmed or verified through observation. Popper argued that this
approach was flawed, as it ignored the fact that scientific theories are always open to falsification.
Instead, he proposed that scientific theories should be formulated in a way that makes them
susceptible to being disproved through rigorous testing.
Popper also distinguished between science and pseudoscience. He argued that pseudoscientific
theories are theories that cannot be potentially falsified or tested empirically. Such as Freudian
psychoanalysis. In contrast, scientific theories are always open to the possibility of being falsified,
such as Newtonian Laws.
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