By the end of the XVI century in European philosophy developed all the prerequisites to move it to the rationalist position to the experimentally-skilled method of knowing the world.Among the thinkers who first promoted the idea of experimental science were Francis Bacon and Descartes.
The principles of scientific knowledge that have been substantiated by these scientists have created almost a new philosophical and methodological orientations.It is largely overcomes the limitations of Aristotle's Organon and the medieval scholastics, who did not recognize the experience as a source of knowledge of reality.
According to Bacon, to consistently and really explore the world of nature, you should use the method of induction and deduction.As part of the inductive method is necessary, in his view, follow from the particular to the general, from particular facts to move towards the general conclusions, which gave the name of Francis Bacon - average axioms.This will enable to ensure accuracy and consistency in the cognitive process, as Bacon saw a great danger in the transition from individual consciousness of recorded facts directly to generalizations.This mechanism is thought movement was not opposed to the deductive syllogistic reasoning model and supplemented it very effectively.In short induction and deduction were organically combined into a single methodological tool.This approach greatly expands the boundaries of the application of each of the components of the inductive-deductive method, previously used independently.
Bacon argued that there is a complete and incomplete induction, deduction, and thus quite clearly defined their methodological possibilities and a place in the general system of cognitive resources of contemporary science.The highest form of this method is considered the true thinker induction, it was she, according to Bacon, is able to bring a person not only to reliable conclusions, but to conclusions completely new.As the verification and it is recommended to resort to another method - experiment, which acts as the highest court in relation to the thesis to be proved.
As you know, today the definition of induction formulated clearly enough - is the process of climbing in the reasoning of the plurality of individual judgments to generalize their conclusions unit.Deduction involves the commission of movement in the other direction - from generalized conclusions to individual conclusions that are valid for all objects that make up this set.
If we consider the category of induction and deduction in the context of their historical development, the picture is somewhat more complicated.
In antiquity and the Middle Ages, scholars used primarily deduction, the main achievement of which was the shape and syllogistic Aristotle.As already mentioned, the idea here is directed from the axioms to private judgment.To the knowledge of the laws of nature the use of such a method is not effective, because this method does not rely entirely on experience.Building on experience can only induction, which involves the study of the motion of individual facts, which are amenable to experimental verification, to the general provisions.Interestingly, the induction is described by Aristotle himself, however, at the time did not give her any scientific and practical importance.But I consider it a powerful methodological tool was Francis Bacon and Descartes developed the principles of practical application on the basis of the experimental verification of facts.These scientists have shown that induction and deduction can perform in the knowledge of universal functions.
induction, speaking as a formal logical reasoning, is very widely used in the cognitive process.Inductive logic algorithm is as follows: detecting identical objects of the same class of property, knowing subject formulates the conclusion of their affiliation to all subjects, constituting the class.With this algorithm, the deployment of thought, were discovered the law of gravity, the laws justified dependency atmospheric pressure and other empirical relationships that exist in the observable nature.
deduction, showing a movement of thought from the general to the individual, played a lasting role in the development of theoretical science at the stage of formulating hypotheses ideas.In this case it is the initial formation of a new point of knowledge.
in modern scientific methodology induction and deduction interact with each other in much the same way as, for example, synthesis and analysis, and their use requires proper choice is the region where the place of each method is most effective.
