Logic: Deductive and Inductive

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

18440

Title

Logic: Deductive and Inductive

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Carveth Read's classic text offers a rigorous yet accessible guide to the principles of logical reasoning, bridging formal deduction with practical induction. Written for students and scholars, it systematically explores the laws of thought, syllogistic structures, causal analysis, and scientific method, emphasizing clarity, precision, and the enduring relevance of logic in understanding natural kinds and empirical truths.

Summary up to 500 words

In *Logic: Deductive and Inductive*, Carveth Read presents a unified system of logic that bridges the gap between formal rigor and empirical inquiry. Deeply indebted to John Stuart Mill and Alexander Bain, yet engaging with contemporary pragmatists and humanists, Read argues that while meaning is vital, pure logical relations remain essential for testing arguments. He defines logic as the science of proof conditions, distinguishing it from mathematics (which handles quantitative magnitudes) and concrete sciences (which deal with specific facts). Read begins by analyzing propositions, terms, and their connotation before advancing to immediate and mediate inference. He meticulously details syllogistic structures, including figures, moods, reduction techniques, and the laws of thought such as identity and contradiction. The text emphasizes the distinction between formal validity and material truth, noting that a logically valid argument can still yield false conclusions if its premises are untrue. Transitioning to induction, Read outlines the canons of direct induction—Agreement, Difference, Residues, and Variations—deriving them from the principle of causation. He explores the nature of cause and effect, distinguishing between mechanical and chemical causes, and addresses the plurality of causes. The work further examines hypotheses, requiring them to be verifiable and adequate to their pretensions, and discusses probability as a fraction based on experience and statistics. Read also covers classification, definition, and nomenclature, asserting that scientific explanation consists in discovering causes and deriving empirical laws from primary functions of cognition. Throughout the treatise, he uses examples from physics, biology, and daily life to illustrate how observation and experiment serve as the material ground for induction. Rich with technical detail yet accessible through practical application, the book serves as both a manual for reasoning and a philosophical reflection on how humanity acquires knowledge, maintaining that uniformity in nature allows us to extend known laws to new cases while acknowledging the limits of empirical generalization.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Philosophy