The sun has risen every day since man has been aware of the sun, but it does not mean that it will rise tomorrow. Ultimately, inductive reasoning is based strictly on generalizations. Is that not true?

It depends on what you mean. Induction goes from specific instances to generalizations about the category of instances. Unfortunately, there are problems with induction. But in comparison with all other methods at acquiring knowledge, induction is the best we can do. It is a limitation that we must deal with. The answers gained by using induction have spawned computers, cars, cell phones, satellites, and many other technologies. In many cases, it is used in conjunction with deduction.

Interbane wrote:

The sun has risen every day since man has been aware of the sun, but it does not mean that it will rise tomorrow. Ultimately, inductive reasoning is based strictly on generalizations. Is that not true?

It depends on what you mean. Induction goes from specific instances to generalizations about the category of instances. Unfortunately, there are problems with induction. But in comparison with all other methods at acquiring knowledge, induction is the best we can do. It is a limitation that we must deal with. The answers gained by using induction have spawned computers, cars, cell phones, satellites, and many other technologies. In many cases, it is used in conjunction with deduction.

I agree. It's the best we can do for now.

Thanks for your response!

ant