Logical Doubts Concerning Induction

David Hume’s influential arguments against causal and inductive knowledge are presented below. Then, a powerful argument by Henri Poincare regarding principles of physics as true-by-convention is discussed next, followed by arguments for the underdetermination of theory by fact from Pierre Duhem—and later by Willard Quine. These are the difficulties we must meet. Francis Bacon’s induction did meet them, even before they were offered. The method is introduced and briefly outlined in this chapter, but not yet expounded.