Argument by analogy
From Chains of Reason
An argument by analogy relies upon an inductive inference that things which are similar in certain respects will also be similar in some other respects.
For example:
- Premise 1
- Tom and Jill both enjoy listening to the music of the classical composers Beethoven, Mozart, and Vivaldi.
- Premise 2
- Tom enjoys listening to the music of the classical composer Bach, which Jill has never listened to.
- Conclusion
- Jill would enjoy listening to the music of the classical composer Bach.
As with all inductive conclusions, a conclusion reached via an argument by analogy does not follow from the premises with certainty. The strength, or weakness, of an argument by analogy is dependent on the strength, or weakness, of the similarity upon which that argument is based.
See also
External links
- False analogy - Wikipedia article
