Q&A: Additional Modes of Inference Besides Induction, Deduction, and Analogy
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Additional Modes of Inference Besides Induction, Deduction, and Analogy
Question
Hello Rabbi,
You’ve spoken more than once about the three main modes of inference.
- You argued that analogy is למעשה induction + deduction. That is, if I saw a black cat and I make an analogy to another particular case and assume that the next one I see will also be like that, what I am really saying is: the cat I saw is black -> all cats are black -> the next cat I see will be black.
If that is so, what independent standing does analogy have such that we classify it as a mode of inference in its own right? It is not really a mode of inference at all, but a combination of two other modes that occur (usually unconsciously) one after the other.
2. Are there any other modes of inference besides the above?
Thank you
Answer
I didn’t understand the question. You quote my answer and then ask what it is? By the way, there I explained that induction can also be viewed as a collection of analogies.
There is also abduction, but that is not really a fourth mode of inference; it is a kind of induction. You can search for it here on the site or online.