Induction by Enumeration

Induction by enumeration has a clear interpretation within the numerical paradigm of inductive discovery (i. e. , the one pioneered by E. M. Gold (1967, Inform. and Control 10, 447–474)). The concept is less easily interpreted within the first-order paradigm discussed by K. T. Kelly (1996, “The Logic of Reliable Inquiry, ” Oxford Univ. Press, New York) and E. Martin and D. Osherson (1998, “Elements of Scientific Inquiry, ” MIT Press, Cambridge, MA), in which the scientist's data amount to the basic diagram of a structure. We formulate two kinds of enumerative induction that are appropriate to the first-order paradigm and analyze their potential for discovery. Among other results, it is shown that one form of enumerative induction achieves maximum inductive competence.

Authors

• Eric Martin
• Daniel Osherson

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