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Wellsprings
epistemology

Induction

ἐπαγωγή

Climbing from particular cases to a general truth — how the mind moves from 'this and this and this' to 'all.'

Induction, or epagogē in Greek, is a method of reasoning that moves from specific examples or observations to broader general conclusions. Aristotle developed this approach as a complement to deduction, recognizing that we often arrive at universal principles by examining particular cases. Unlike deduction, which starts with general rules and applies them to specific situations, induction builds upward from the concrete evidence we encounter in the world around us.

The classical rhetoricians applied induction to persuasive argument by citing memorable examples. One ancient source describes how speakers would point to a particular case—such as a woman from Peparethus who demonstrated keen judgment about parentage—and use it as evidence to support a broader claim that women generally possess superior discernment in such matters. This rhetorical use of induction was common in Athenian courts and speeches, where a single apt example could sway judgment about a universal principle.

Where this idea shows up

18 Greek sources

Where to read it