Untitled document (24)
pdf
keyboard_arrow_up
School
Schoolcraft College *
*We aren’t endorsed by this school
Course
247
Subject
Philosophy
Date
Jan 9, 2024
Type
Pages
2
Uploaded by MatePowerPenguin18
M12 Major Discussion: Induction, Abduction and
Analogy
Example for Statistical Generalization:
A pharmaceutical company conducts a clinical trial to test the effectiveness of a new drug for treating
a specific medical condition, such as high blood pressure. The company selects diverse participants,
including different age groups, genders, and ethnicities, to ensure a representative sample for the
general population. After rigorous testing, they found that the drug significantly reduced blood
pressure in most participants. Based on statistical analysis, the company can generalize the findings
to claim that the drug effectively treats hypertension in the broader population.
In this example, the pharmaceutical company uses statistical generalization to conclude how
effective the new drug will be for the entire population based on the results observed in a
representative sample.
Example for Hasty Generalization:
Imagine someone who visits a new country and has a bad experience with a few locals. If this
person quickly concludes that everyone in the country is unfriendly and unwelcoming, they are
making a hasty generalization. This type of reasoning can lead to unfair stereotypes and judgments
about a group of people without considering the diversity and individual differences within the
population. Hasty generalizations often result from insufficient evidence or a failure to consider
alternative perspectives and experiences. It's essential to recognize the limitations of our
experiences and avoid drawing broad conclusions based on limited interactions.
Example of Abduction/Inference to the Best Explanation:
I will use a situation where my computer is not turning on.
I observed that the power button did not respond, the screen was black, and there was no
sound from the fan or the hard drive.
I hypothesized that the power supply was faulty and that this was the cause of the problem.
I compared this hypothesis with other possible explanations, such as a broken motherboard,
a corrupted operating system, or a loose cable.
I concluded that the power supply hypothesis was the best explanation because it explained
all the observed facts, was more straightforward than the other hypotheses, and did not
conflict with various well-established beliefs.
Two virtues:
Simplicity
is important because it helps us to avoid unnecessary assumptions and
complications in our explanations. A more straightforward explanation is more likely to be
true than a complex one, all other things equal.
Falsifiability
is important because it allows us to test our explanations empirically and revise
them if the evidence proves false. A falsifiable explanation is more scientific and rational than
an unfalsifiable one because observation can confirm or disconfirm.
Peter Singer's Experiment
Peter Singer, in my opinion unsuccessfully, tries an analogy between helping a drowning child and
the obligation to donate money to a good cause in another country, trying to establish that due to the
moral obligation to help others, both scenarios are analogous.
These two scenarios are different.
The drowning child is a situation that is happening right now, and in that moment, I can do
something about it. There is an immediate gain compared to the alternative (losing the
already-used shoes, the bike, etc.). It is happening right at that moment.
One could argue that famine in a third-world country is also happening right now, but so is
unemployment in the U.S. Am I also then morally obliged to donate to someone
unemployed? Based on that, why is Peter Singer, and I'm talking about himself, not donating
to unemployed people? Why are we all not are?
Based on my statement above, it is evident that I do not think it is a good analogy.
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help