induction
in-DUK-shun
/ɪnˈdʌk.ʃən/
The process of reasoning from specific observations or instances to establish a general rule or principle.
Moves bottom-up. Inductive conclusions are probabilistic—they offer strong probability rather than absolute structural certainty.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'in-' (into) and 'ducere' (to lead). Induction is the act of 'leading in' multiple individual observations to build a broader theory.
Word relationships
- generalization: Generalization can be informal or hasty; induction is a structured logical method of inferring general patterns.
- deduction: Deduction moves top-down from general rules to specific conclusions.
Commonly confused with
- deduction: Induction collects specific data to infer a broad pattern; deduction applies a broad rule to infer a specific case.
Word family
- induce (verb): To bring about or infer by induction.
- inductive (adjective): Using or characterized by inductive reasoning.
Collocations
- inductive reasoning
- mathematical induction
- scientific induction
- proof by induction
Example sentences
- "Empirical science relies heavily on induction, taking thousands of experimental trials to infer a universal physical law." Scientific Inquiry
- "By observing that market trends dipped every November for a decade, the analyst used induction to forecast next month's drop." Data Analysis
Memory hook
IN-duction leads individual instances IN-to a general law. Leading specific observations UP into a general pattern.
When not to use
Do not confuse with ceremonial induction into a hall of fame or job onboarding, though they share the sense of 'bringing in'.
Fun facts
- Francis Bacon popularized inductive reasoning in 1620, arguing that science must observe real data rather than rely solely on ancient deductive dogmas.
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