The Absolute and Relative Pessimistic Inductions
Articles
Seungbae Park
Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology
Published 2019-04-26
https://doi.org/10.15388/Problemos.95.8
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Keywords

Absolute Pessimistic Induction
Empirical Progressivism
Historical Optimism
Relative Pessimistic Induction

How to Cite

Park, S. (2019) “The Absolute and Relative Pessimistic Inductions”, Problemos, 95, pp. 94–104. doi:10.15388/Problemos.95.8.

Abstract

[full article, abstract in English; abstract in Lithuanian]

The absolute pessimistic induction states that earlier theories, although successful, were abandoned, so current theories, although successful, will also be abandoned. By contrast, the relative pessimistic induction states that earlier theories, although superior to their predecessors, were discarded, so current theories, although superior to earlier theories, will also be discarded. Some pessimists would have us believe that the relative pessimistic induction avoids empirical progressivism. I argue, however, that it has the same problem as the absolute pessimistic induction, viz., either its premise is implausible or its conclusion does not probably follow from its premise.

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