analogy
Similarity in several respects between discrete cases. A logical argument by analogy relies upon an inductive inference from the supposition that things are similar is certain known respects to the likelihood that they are also similar in some further unknown respect. Example: "Jennifer enjoys listening to the music of Beethoven, Mahler, and Bartok. Susan and Harold also like Beethoven, Mahler, and Bartok. Chris enjoys listening to Beethoven and Mahler. Therefore, Chris would probably like the music of Bartok, too." The degree of reliability achieved by such an argument depends upon the extent and nature of the similarities that hold between the instances in its premises and the new case in its conclusion. Also see DPM, Keith J. Holyoak and Paul Thagard, Allison Barnes and Paul Thagard, and Amelie Frost Benedikt. The simplest variety of inductive reasoning is argument by analogy, which takes noteof the fact that two or more things are similar in some respects and concludes that they are
Some logicians designate the combination of true premises and a valid inference as asound argument; it is a piece of reasoning whose conclusion must be true. Not every analogy is an argument; wefrequently use such comparisons simply to explain or illustrate what we mean. If I discover that three of my friends have recentlybought Geo Prizms from Burg and that all three have been delighted with their purchases,then I will conclude by analogy that if I buy a Geo Prizm from Burg, I will be delighted, too. But relevance is not something about which we can be terribly precise; it is always possible in principle to tell a story in the context of which anything may turn out to be relevant. Inductive arguments, then, may meet their standard to a greater or to a lesser degree,depending upon the amount of support they supply. If my new purchase is not only the same make and model from the same dealer but also has the same engine, then my conclusion is more likely to be true. Truth and Validity Since deductive reasoning requires such a strong relationship between premises andconclusion, we will spend the majority of this survey studying various patterns of deductiveinference. I'm very likely tospeak with other people who have recently bought new cars, noting their experiences withvarious makes, models, and dealers. Notice that the validity of the inference of a deductive argument is independent of thetruth of its premises; both conditions must be met in order to be sure of the truth of theconclusion. ) Any deductive argument that isnot valid is invalid: it is possible for its conclusion to be false while its premises are true, soeven if the premises are true, the conclusion may be either true or false. If all three of my friends were delighted with their auto purchases but I conclude only that I will be satisfied with mine, then this relatively modest conclusion is more likely to be true.
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