Inductivism

According to inductivism, scientific research proceeds from observations to theories. Scientists begin with experiments, finding out what happens in specific cases. They then use the results of these experiments to develop general theories about what happens in all cases.

Inductivism gets its name from the type of reasoning that it takes to constitute the scientific method: induction. Inductive arguments are arguments that project observed regularities to unobserved cases. If, for example, we observe many objects falling towards the ground when unsupported, and reason from this that other unsupported objects will also fall, then we are using induction.

Induction is an important part of common-sense logic; we all rely on it every day. It is, however, notoriously difficult to justify. The infamous problem of induction criticises induction as a method for forming beliefs, suggesting that we are never rationally justified in forming expectations about what will happen based on what has happened in the past.

Inductivism, sensible though it seems, has fallen out of favour as an account of scientific methodology.