Philosophy: The Problem of Induction

The Problem of Induction
Author’s Name
The Institutional Affiliation
Course Number and Name
Instructor Name
Assignment Due Date
The Problem of Induction
After testing a specific theory several times, a scientist believes that the outcome generated is universally applicable. Although scientists conduct a series of experiments to reach a hypothesis, that does not mean that everything in the universe falls towards that particular conclusion. Scientists do generalize to construct inferences. The generalization problem, also known as the problem of induction, has been around the scientific community for a very long time. Induction means that a scientist extrapolates a general law out of a specific experiment (Johnson, 2016). Sir Karl Popper (1902-1944) was one of the most important and influential philosophers of the 20th century; he stated, under his falsification principle, that the theories are only correct until they are proven wrong (Crede, 2018). Karl was also a well-reputed philosopher because he devised a method to identify whether a statement is scientific or not. He stated that a scientific statement could only be confirmed if it can be easily measured or experimented; otherwise, it does not fall in the category of a scientific statement. If Popper’s Problem of Induction holds true, it would be hard to make sense of the choices in normal life.
A company uses inductive reasoning while hiring or firing employees. The interns in an organization are taken off the probation period and hired permanently if a pattern of decent and fruitful work is seen in their previous dealings in the trial period. Also, the increment or promotion of a salesperson is an organization is applied on the basis of his earlier performance. Contradicting to Popper’s theory, inductive reasoning is an essential building-block in the norms and dealings of society.
A person makes choices in life based on probability and experience. The fact that similar incidents or experiences will precede the next time is how humans perceive their lives. For example, if a person goes to a coffee shop and likes the coffee that he is being given, he will continue buying the coffee from the same shop, which we term as inductive reasoning. From a specific experience or experiment, the person inferred that the coffee of that particular shop is better.
Inductive reasoning also applies to how human beings relate to each other. A person expects a certain kind of behaviour or an attitude from their friends and relatives. For example, an individual may assume a loving and caring attitude from their spouse regularly. The essence of many relationships depends upon the continuous regularity of the same kind of behaviour. This shows that human beings are dependent upon a particular pattern in conduct they receive from others. S...