Louis Groarke on Aristotle's Induction

March, 27, 2018

Bees and Spiders: The Ancient Aristotelian Account of Induction versus Modern Logic

In his overlooked classic Two Logics: The Conflict Between Classical and Neo-Analytic Philosophy, Henry Veatch makes a valiant (and colourful) attempt to resurrect the Aristotelian and Scholastic tradition in logic. Borrowing a trope from Jonathan Swift’s Battle of The Books, Veatch makes a distinction between bee-logic and spider-logic, arguing against the mathematical spider-logic of modern formal logicians. Doubtless, the spiders have won the academic battle—much to the chagrin of any old-fashioned thinkers who would like to follow in Veatch’s footsteps. In my presentation, I will compare Aristotelian accounts of induction (ἐπᾰγωγή, epagoge) with modern accounts (including the Bayesian calculus). I will discuss, from an Aristotelian perspective, the logical form of induction, the mental operation by which it occurs, the different kinds of induction, and essential difference between the Aristotelian and modern accounts. I will not focus on formal intricacies but on the larger philosophical implications of all this. As it turns out, modern symbolic accounts, despite their formal sophistication, are inadequate when it comes to extending our logical understanding to issues in the real world. As Veatch insists, although spiders weave intricate webs, bees build hives and produce honey—that is, they accomplish tasks that spiders are unable to do.