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Philosophy / Unit 6   Philosophy 0249 short lesson, about 20 seconds

The Argument from Analogy

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The idea

The argument from analogy: others resemble me in body and behavior; my behavior comes with experience; so theirs probably does too.

In practice

Same laughter at the same joke, same species, same nervous system. The inference is inductive—likely, not guaranteed.

Where people slip

It generalizes from a single case—me—the weakest sample size induction allows. The conclusion is better than the argument.

Your place on the trail

Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.

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