Hume's Problem of Induction

Paper Summary:

This paper begins with an explanation of deductive and inductive reasoning and then goes on to analyze the questions raised by well-known skeptic and humanist, David Hume, about finding indisputable evidence that the future will resemble the past or that observed instances can predict new instances.

From the Paper:

"For some reason, the traditional example of how inductive reasoning works is to ask how it can be known that the sun will rise tomorrow. It is certain that every day as far back as one can remember or research, the sun has risen every day. How does this prove, however, that it will rise tomorrow? Even barring a super nova or an asteroid hit that took Earth off its axis, how could we know that the so-called laws of physics will be still active tomorrow? Mere deduction cannot prove that the sun will rise, though it may be able to explain how it rises. One depends rather on past experience to predict the future. The sun will rise, we believe, because it has always risen in the past."

More papers on Hume's Problem of Induction:

• Term Paper # 129058 : "The Problem of Induction"
• Analytical Essay # 142901 : "Is Hume A Skeptic With Respect To Induction?"
• Essay # 41459 : "Hume's Views on Causation and Induction"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: