第16章 「非論証的推論語」n.25 - 誰もが疑うことのない種類の推論
そういった研究の結果(成果)は、哲学よりはむしろ科学であるとみなされるべきものである。即ち、そういう結果を受けいれるための理由は、科学的研究に適用される通常の理由であり、何らかの形而上学的理論から得られるかけ離れた理由ではない(のである)。より具体的に言うと、あまりにもしばしば,また,あまりにも無益に、向う見ずな哲学者達が主張してきたような、確実性の主張(訳注:私の主張は絶対に正しい、といったような主張)はまったく存在していない(のである)。 |
Chapter 16: Non-Demonstrative Inference , n.25In the transition from crude fact to science, we need forms of inference additional to those of deductive logic. Traditionally, it was supposed that induction would serve this purpose, but this was an error, since it can be shown that the conclusions of inductive inferences from true premisses are more often false than true. The principles of inference required for the transition from sense to science are to be attained by analysis. The analysis involved is that of the kinds of inference which nobody, in fact, questions: as, for example, that if, at one moment, you see your cat on the hearth-rug and, at another, you see it in a doorway, it has passed over intermediate positions although you did not see it doing so. If the work of analysing scientific inference has been properly performed, it will appear that concrete instances of such inference are (a) such as no one honestly doubts, and (b) such as are essential if, on the basis of sensible facts, we are to believe things which go beyond this basis.The outcome of such work is to be regarded rather as science than as philosophy. That is to say, the reasons for accepting it are the ordinary reasons applied in scientific work, not remote reasons derived from some metaphysical theory. More especially, there is no such claim to certainty as has, too often and too uselessly, been made by rash philosophers. |