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Confirmation. Infinitesimal Confirmation. Review. Nicod’s Criterion : A generalization is confirmed (to some degree) by an F that is G. A generalization is disproved by an F that is not G. A generalization is neither confirmed nor disproved by non-Fs that are not G or by non-Fs that are G.
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Confirmation Infinitesimal Confirmation
Review • Nicod’s Criterion: • A generalization is confirmed (to some degree) by an F that is G. • A generalization is disproved by an F that is not G. • A generalization is neither confirmed nor disproved by non-Fs that are not G or by non-Fs that are G. • The contrapositive of All Fs are G is All non-Gs are non-Fs. • The Equivalence Confirmation Thesis: Logically equivalent statements are confirmed by the same things.
The Raven Paradox • A red herring confirms the hypothesis that all non-black things are non-ravens. • The hypothesis that all non-black things are non-ravens is logically equivalent to the hypothesis that all ravens are black. • If (1) and (2), then a red herring confirms the hypothesis that all ravens are black. • [So] A red herring confirms the hypothesis that all ravens are black.
The Conclusion • A red herring confirms the hypothesis that all ravens are black. • Nicod’s Criterion (c): A generalization is neither confirmed nor disproved by non-Fs that are not G or by non-Fs that are G.
The Conclusion • An infinitesimal (i) is an infinitely small value.
The Conclusion • A red herring confirms the hypothesis that all ravens are black. • Nicod’s Criterion (c): A generalization is neither confirmed nor disproved by non-Fs that are not G or by non-Fs that are G.