182 REASONING. 



from particulars to generals, and reasoning from generals to 

 particulars, are recommended by brevity rather than by pre 

 cision, and do not adequately mark, without the aid of a 

 commentary, the distinction between Induction (in the sense 

 now adverted to) and Ratiocination. The meaning intended 

 by these expressions is, that Induction is inferring a propo 

 sition from propositions less general than itself, and Ratioci 

 nation is inferring a proposition from propositions equally or 

 more general. When, from the observation of a number of 

 individual instances, we ascend to a general proposition, or 

 when, by combining a number of general propositions, we 

 conclude from them another proposition still more general, 

 the process, which is substantially the same in both instances, 

 is called Induction. When from a general proposition, not 

 alone (for from a single proposition nothing can be concluded 

 which is not involved in the terms), but by combining it with 

 other propositions, we infer a proposition of the same degree 

 of generality with itself, or a less general proposition, or a 

 proposition merely individual, the process is Ratiocination. 

 When, in short, the conclusion is more general than the 

 largest of the premises, the argument is commonly called 

 Induction ; when less general, or equally general, it is Ratio 

 cination. 



As all experience begins with individual cases, and pro 

 ceeds from them to generals, it might seem most conformable 

 to the natural order of thought that Induction should be 

 treated of before we touch upon Ratiocination. It will, how 

 ever, be advantageous, in a science which aims at tracing our 

 acquired knowledge to its sources, that the inquirer should 

 commence with the latter rather than with the earlier stages of 

 the process of constructing our knowledge ; and should trace 

 derivative truths backward to the truths from which they are 

 deduced, and on which they depend for their evidence, before 

 attempting to point out the original spring from which both 

 ultimately take their rise. The advantages of this order of 

 proceeding in the present instance will manifest themselves as 

 we advance, in a manner superseding the necessity of any 

 further justification or explanation. 



