Philosophy Study Group
Organizer: Curt Hilstrom
Date: Apr 17, 2024
Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: via Zoom
Note that this is the third Wednesday of the month, not the second Wednesday, our usual meeting day. We are starting a new book, An Aristotelian Account of Induction: Creating Something from Nothing by Louis Groarke, part of the McGill-Queen’s Studies in the History of Ideas.
A new paperback will cost you around $38 and there is no ebook. For our first meeting we will discuss chapters 1 and 2.
Since it might be a little harder than usual to get a copy of this book, you might end up waiting. If so, and since the first two chapters are largely an introduction and a discussion of the historical background, we have listed some alternative readings below that you can do while you’re waiting. However, most commentaries talk about “the problem of induction,” and the thesis of this book is that it’s a problem largely because we have strayed from what Aristotle understood as induction. So, if you follow this route, you should also read something about induction according to Aristotle, which, unfortunately, is a little harder to find, so we have included some articles by a philosopher who is sympathetic to Groarke’s thesis. While we would prefer that you read both chapters of Groarke, we are giving you the option of skipping chapter 2 altogether if you would prefer to read these or some other sources.
This topic reaches into the very heart of philosophy. Every self-respecting member of this group should be so excited to get started on this book that it has given us some concern about how an over-reaction could effect your mental health. So just relax, get a grip on yourself, and dig in.
Curt
Suggested online articles on philosophical induction.
This is a short discussion of general philosophical induction, not including Aristotle
https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Induction_(philosophy)
Wikipedia has a general article on philosophical induction, but Aristotle is only briefly mentioned.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inductive_reasoning
This is a longer, more detailed article on philosophical (and other types of) induction. Aristotle’s induction is discussed in a section on “historical genesis.”
https://www.encyclopedia.com/science-and-technology/computers-and-electr…
If you really want to understand the problem of induction, these two articles are long, detailed, and technical.
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/induction-problem/
https://iep.utm.edu/problem-of-induction/
The following articles are about Aristotelian induction, courtesy of Milo Schield, a member of our group who suggested the book. They are all by John McCaskey who generally agrees with Groarke’s position.
* Myths in the history of Induction PowerPoint 2013,
www.johnmccaskey.com/history-of-induction/
* When Induction was about Concepts 2011 (Draft)
www.johnmccaskey.com/joomla/images/for-download/PittVolume.pdf
* Professor Higgins’ Philosophy of Science: Why Can’t Induction be More Like Deduction? (Draft)
www.johnmccaskey.com/joomla/images/for-download/Higgins.pdf
* History of the Relationship between Concepts and Induction 2010 PowerPoint
www.johnmccaskey.com/joomla/images/for-download/SwansAndRavens.ppsx
* Whence the Uniformity Principle 2010 Abstract PowerPoint
www.johnmccaskey.com/joomla/images/for-download/WhenceUniformityAtHOPOS….
* Bacon’s Idols and Harvey’s Eggs 2010 Abstract PowerPoint
www.johnmccaskey.com/joomla/images/for-download/BaconAndEggsAtHOPOS.ppsx
* Freeing Aristotelian Epagôgê from Prior Analytics II 23. Apeiron, December, 2007, pp. 345–74.
www.johnmccaskey.com/joomla/images/for-download/FreeingAristotelianEpago…
* PhD Thesis (2006): Regula socratis : the rediscovery of ancient induction in early modern England. Abstract
www.johnmccaskey.com/joomla/images/for-download/Dissertation.pdf
* Induction and Concept-Formation in Francis Bacon and William Whewell 2004
www.johnmccaskey.com/joomla/images/for-download/InductionAndConceptsInBa…
Disclaimer: I have not read all of these articles, so I am not offering recommendations for any particular ones. Good luck.