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Argument from analogy

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conclusion, then the amount and variety of relevant differences have to weaken it. Creating a "counteranalogy," Hume argued that some natural objects seem to have order and complexity — snowflakes for example — but are not the result of intelligent direction. But even if the snowflake's order and complexity might not have direction, their causes might. So this falsifies the statement but
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from the producer, this is often a case of analogical reasoning since the two products share a maker and are therefore both perceived as "bad". It is also the basis of much of science; for instance, experiments on laboratory rats are based on the fact that some physiological similarities between rats and humans implies some further similarity (e.g. possible reactions to a drug).
217:, who was one of the first individuals to examine analogical reasoning in detail. One of Mill's examples involved an inference that some person is lazy from the observation that his or her sibling is lazy. According to Mill, sharing parents is not at all relevant to the property of laziness (although this in particular is an example of a 41:
are used as a basis to infer some further similarity that has not been observed yet. Analogical reasoning is one of the most common methods by which human beings try to understand the world and make decisions. When a person has a bad experience with a product and decides not to buy anything further
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Hume argued that the universe and a watch have many relevant differences. For instance, the universe is often very disorderly and random but a watch is not. This form of argument is called "disanalogy". If the amount and variety of relevant similarities between two objects strengthens an analogical
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of misinterpretation of analogical reasoning, specifically when individuals mistakenly dismiss valid analogical comparisons. This cognitive error occurs when a person incorrectly perceives an analogy as an assertion of complete equivalence between two subjects, overlooking the nuanced, limited, or
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The logic behind the watchmaker argument states that you cannot assume that a complex and precise object like a watch was created through some random process. We can easily infer that such objects had an intelligent creator who planned its use. Therefore, we ought to draw the same conclusion for
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Ben Kling gave the example of analogy blindness in the case of comparison between a volcano and a geyser. A person objects to the analogy by complaining that one spits water and the other gushes magma and has killed people. In doing so they dismiss the similarities—both geological and
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abstract similarities the analogy intends to highlight. Analogy blindness leads to the rejection of analogies based on surface-level differences, ignoring deeper structural or thematic parallels. This can limit understanding and hinder the meaningful exploration of ideas.
180:. Finally, Hume provides many possible "unintended consequences" of the argument. For instance, objects such as watches are often the result of the labour of groups of individuals. Thus, the reasoning used by the teleological argument would seem to agree with 50:
The process of analogical inference involves noting the shared properties of two or more things, and from this basis concluding that they also share some further property. The structure or form may be generalised like so:
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Arguments from analogy may be attacked by using disanalogy, using counteranalogy, and by pointing out unintended consequences of an analogy. To understand how one might analyse an argument from analogy, consider the
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The term encourages recognition of the complexities in analogical reasoning, promoting a more nuanced analysis of comparisons. The concept is associated with misunderstanding metaphor and
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This is a false analogy because it fails to account for the relevant differences between a planetary system and an atom.
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Therefore, planets in a planetary system jump instantly from orbit to orbit.
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An argument from analogy is weakened if it is inadequate in any of the
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for the conclusion, but the conclusion does not follow as a matter of
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orbit a nucleus, and electrons jump instantly from orbit to orbit.
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thermodynamic—and so limit their understanding of both things.
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of relevant similarity (or difference) between the two objects,
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another complex and apparently designed object: the universe.
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affect the strength of the argument from analogy, including
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P and Q are similar in respect to properties a, b, and c.
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Winner, Ellen; Engel, Matthew; Gardner, Howard (1980).
213:. The term "false analogy" comes from the philosopher 206:, or a faulty instance, of the argument from analogy. 65:
The argument does not assert that the two things are
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The argument may provide us with 154: 24: 312:Conversation theory § Analogy 25: 1593: 1541: 1540: 286: 187: 93:Analysing arguments from analogy 122:similarities to the similarity 89:must also come under scrutiny. 18:Fallacy of questionable analogy 1038:Correlation implies causation 221:rather than a false analogy). 118:(positive or negative) of the 13: 1: 337: 502:10.1016/0022-0965(80)90072-7 210: 45: 7: 279: 10: 1598: 1462:I'm entitled to my opinion 447:Gensler, Harry J. (2003). 372:. 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Index

Fallacy of questionable analogy
inductive argument
similarities
logical necessity
teleological argument
David Hume
begs the question
polytheism
False equivalence
informal fallacy
above respects
John Stuart Mill
faulty generalisation
Planets
planetary system
Electrons
atom
informal fallacy
special pleading
Philosophy portal
Case-based reasoning
Casuistry
Conversation theory § Analogy
Defeasible reasoning
Jurisprudence
Problem of induction
Special pleading


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