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Full Idea
There is nothing illegitimate about giving arguments for beliefs one already holds. …So inductive justification of induction, while impotent against the skeptic, is legitimate for those who already rely on induction.
Gist of Idea
We can argue to support our beliefs, so induction will support induction, for believers in induction
Source
Peter Lipton (Inference to the Best Explanation (2nd) [2004], 11 'Circularity')
Book Ref
Lipton,Peter: 'Inference to the Best Explanation (2nd ed)' [Routledge 2004], p.189
A Reaction
Not so fast! The first sentence is generally right, but if the 'beliefs one already holds' are beliefs about methods of argument, that is a different case. Compare 'this book is the word of God, because it says so in the book'. Can logic prove logic?
Related Idea
Idea 14914 Inductive defences of induction may be rule-circular, but not viciously premise-circular [Ladyman/Ross]
| 3033 | Induction moves from some truths to similar ones, by contraries or consequents [Diog. Laertius] |
| 6350 | Premises can support an argument without entailing it [Pollock/Cruz on Hume] |
| 3598 | Hume just shows induction isn't deduction [Williams,M on Hume] |
| 13055 | Good induction needs 'total evidence' - the absence at the time of any undermining evidence [Salmon] |
| 3860 | Science cannot be shown to be rational if induction is rejected [Newton-Smith on Popper] |
| 6953 | All reasoning is inductive, and deduction only concerns implication [Harman] |
| 3251 | Observed regularities are only predictable if we assume hidden necessity [Nagel] |
| 16800 | An inductive inference is underdetermined, by definition [Lipton] |
| 16858 | We can argue to support our beliefs, so induction will support induction, for believers in induction [Lipton] |
| 4811 | Induction (unlike deduction) is non-monotonic - it can be invalidated by new premises [Psillos] |
| 4583 | How can an argument be good induction, but poor deduction? [Baggini /Fosl] |
| 14914 | Inductive defences of induction may be rule-circular, but not viciously premise-circular [Ladyman/Ross] |