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Full Idea
It is sometimes said that inductive reasoning is 'defeasible', meaning that considerations that support a given conclusion can be defeated by additional information.
Gist of Idea
Induction is 'defeasible', since additional information can invalidate it
Source
Gilbert Harman (Rationality [1995], 1.4.5)
Book Ref
Harman,Gilbert: 'Reasoning Meaning and Mind' [OUP 1999], p.31
A Reaction
True. The point is that being defeasible does not prevent such thinking from being rational. The rational part of it is to acknowledge that your conclusion is defeasible.
| 6950 | You can be rational with undetected or minor inconsistencies [Harman] |
| 6951 | Ordinary rationality is conservative, starting from where your beliefs currently are [Harman] |
| 6953 | All reasoning is inductive, and deduction only concerns implication [Harman] |
| 6952 | Induction is 'defeasible', since additional information can invalidate it [Harman] |
| 6955 | Enumerative induction is inference to the best explanation [Harman] |
| 6954 | A coherent conceptual scheme contains best explanations of most of your beliefs [Harman] |