W. C. Salmon, \"The Problem of Induction\" In this selection, Salmon lays out th

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W. C. Salmon, "The Problem of Induction" In this selection, Salmon lays out the problem of induction as we received it from H several attempts to deal with the problem, and concludes that they all fail. This article helps us see the enormous difficulty and importance of the problem of induction. ume, surveys The basic question that Hume was trying to answer, according to Salmon, is the following we acquire knowledge of the unobserved? Salmon uses the analogy of an urn filled with black balls. Suppose that all of the black balls we have pulled out so far have tasted like licorice. Are we justif in asserting that the rest of the black balls in the urn will also taste like licorice? Hume's answer to this question is a simple no. To acquire knowledge of the unobserved, we have to rely on the so alled principle of the uniformity of nature-the idea that the future will resemble the past. But it seems that there can be no rational justification for this principle Salmon surveys six different ways of dealing with this problem. The first attempts to give an inductive justification of induction. But, as Hume pointed out, to justify induction inductively is to reason in a circle. The second points out that the sort of induction that actually goes on in science is more complicated than mere induction by enumeration; rather, it involves the hupothetice-deductive method. But Salmon thinks that even this method is just a more complicated form of induction. The third response was given by Karl Popper, who thought that the idea of science was conjectures that could be corroborated. Although this seems more promising, the notion ofc understood inductively, in which case this is just another circular atte to propose bold falsified, and that every time a conjecture wasn't falsified, it was mpt at a justification. The next attempts do not commit the fallacy of circularity, but Salmon thinks they fail nonethele First, one might try to actually establish the principle of the uniformity of nature, as Kant tried to do. But this principle is supposed to be a synthetic a priori truth, and Hume has arguments against the possibility of such truths (and Salmon agrees with Hume here). Moreover, even if we set that bjection aside, such a principle wouldn't help because establishing that the future is similar to the past does not establish that the future is exadtly like the past. Another approach is to say that all we get from sci Salmon points out that even if this is true, probabilities still don't give us reason to s ence is probabilities about the future, so there is no need to justify induction. But uppose that

Explanation / Answer

Ans. 1- According to Salmon, the science share some common features with common sense, each embody the knowledge of facts that are not open to our direct inspection. The theory says that common sense and science have some probabilities that does not belong to every direct inspection.

Ans.2- The basic question raised by Hume is, how do we acquire the knowledge of the unobserved? The unobserved is more critical than observed so that we do not have any path way to get the knowledge from unobserved.

Ans.3- according to Salmon, the knowledge is a collection of facts which can be acquired by evidence while beliefs founded upon rational justification and that justification can be true or not.

Ans.4- Uniformities of nature that have existed in the past will continue to exist in future but past cannot be exactly future.

Ans.5- Salmon does not talks about valid deductive inference. According to salmon the inductive justification of induction could be solve.

Ans.6- Hume was confirming the observable knowledge, Hume explained that we cannot justify the non-ampliative knowledge by induction,

Ans.7- The induction cannot be justified inductively because this would be a circular way to justify induction.

Ans.8- The popper described the scientific statement from metaphysics, that is the scientific statements are deduced and they provide an information with justification.

Ans.9- The Kant proposed the uniformity of the nature to handle Hume’s problem to solve induction.

Ans.10- Reichenbach, proposed the pragmatic justification of induction explains the principle of universal causation justifies the principle of uniformity of nature.

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