induction

In philosophy, the process of observing particular instances of things in order to derive general statements and laws of nature. It is the opposite of deduction, which moves from general statements and principles to the particular.

Induction was criticized by the Scottish philosopher David Hume because it relied upon belief rather than valid reasoning. In the philosophy of science, the ‘problem of induction’ is a crucial area of debate: however much evidence there is for a proposition, there is the possibility of a future counter-instance that will invalidate the explanation. Therefore, it is argued, no scientific statement can be said to be true.