培根式归纳及其争论

Baconian Induction and Disputes over It

培根式归纳作为一种科学方法通常被认为具有如下特点:1.以大量经验事实为基础;2.渐进式获得普遍性逐步上升的结论;3."忽视"观念、猜想或假说的作用。针对培根式归纳的这些特点,穆勒、耶芳斯和波普尔等人对其进行了批评,而惠威尔、内尔和莱欣巴赫等人则为之进行了辩护。讨论这一争论目的在于更为清楚地认识培根式归纳的特征、作用和局限。

As a scientific method, Baconian induction is usually regarded as possessing such characteristics as follows： 1. it is based on a great deal of experiential facts;2, it arrives at more and more generalized conclusions in a gradual bottom - to - up way ; 3. it neglects the function of ideas, conjectures or hypotheses. For these, many writers such as Mill, Jevons and Popper have criticized Baconian induction, but others such as Whewell, Neil and Reichen-bach have given corresponding arguments against the criticism. Discussing the disputes intends to understand the nature,function and limit of Baconian induction more distinctly.