PHL210Y5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Deductive Reasoning, Causal Inference, Inductive Reasoning
Document Summary
Audio recording started: 10:12 am february 7, 2017. Hume"s matters of fact - by observation, all our knowledge is because of causal reasoning or causal inferences. (picture of grandma, backyard). Empirical knowledge is mostly based on causal inferences. (mechanism in a mind, not rational) All reasoning"s concerning matter of fact seem to be founded on the relation of cause and effect. Problem of inductive reasoning (causal reasoning), for instance if i observe swans are whites, thus all swans are whites (scientific observation). All unobserved matters of fact are known on the basis of causal inference. Causal inference is not a priori but based on experience. Criterion of a priori knowledge: necessity, denial a contradiction. Examination of idea/cause --> does not reveal effect. Deductive reasoning - premises are true, then the conclusion must be true a=b b=c. But (1) no novel features observed in the events. (1) experience can"t tell us that the future will be like the past.
