[Lecture Four] Induction in Physics and Philosophy
by Dr. Leonard Peikoff
Total Time: 2 hours, 6 minutes
Course summary: This course features Dr. Peikoff’s presentation of his solution to the problem of induction. He discusses the axioms of induction and the role of measurement omission and relates them to the process of forming generalizations. By comparing these features to the process of concept formation, Peikoff indicates the parallels in logic that give rise to new insights about the relationship between induction and deduction. Special attention is given to the similarities between physics and philosophy. Read more »
In this lecture: This lecture continues the discussion of the history of physics and its importance to understanding induction. Dr. Peikoff examines the process whereby generalizations can be proved and how to develop more advanced theories from it.
Study Guide
This material is designed to help you digest the lecture content. You can also download below a PDF study guide for the entire course.
| How did Michael Faraday’s discovery of the concept of “field” open new areas for induction? |
| Why was motion so important in Faraday’s study of magnetism? |
| What was the key method used by Faraday in his experimentation? |
| Why is mathematical derivation of physical law a leap in scientific induction? |
Q&A Guide
Below is a list of questions from the audience taken from this lecture, along with (approximate) time stamps.
| 2:00:07 | Is the universe a plenum? Is it solidly packed so that you are continuously in contact with matter? |
| 2:02:07 | How could Kepler possibly justify leaping to all the planets just on the basis of Mars? |