---
slug: "Induction"
name: "Induction"
type: "Reasoning"
layer: "Mind"
ref: "Induction#1b39"
sema_id: "sema:Induction#mh:SHA-256:1b39044c28c83bf79a7bfe108d0edaf616724b3cc0e9fec93086913101fc1530"
tags: ["Mind","Reasoning"]
updated: 2026-11-11
mindscape: "bootstrap"
index_url: https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/index.json
url: https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Induction/
related: ["Datum","Abduction","Generalize"]
---

# Induction

Specific to general logic

Layer: Mind · Category: Reasoning

## Mechanism

Moving from specific observations ([Datum](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Datum.md)) to general rules. The conclusion is probable, not certain. Induction has no formal justification and never acquires one, so what the pattern requires is disclosure rather than soundness.

## Invariants

- A conclusion states the observations it generalises from and their range.
- Generalization: the output rule covers more cases than the input [Datum](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Datum.md).

## Failure modes

- Unbounded extrapolation: the rule is applied outside the range the observations covered.
- Unrepresentative sample: the rule is well supported and the range was never the right one.

## Builds on

- [Datum](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Datum.md) (Infrastructure; References)

## Used by

- [Abduction](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Abduction.md) (Mind; References)
- [Generalize](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Generalize.md) (Mind; References)

## Identity

- Sema ID: `sema:Induction#mh:SHA-256:1b39044c28c83bf79a7bfe108d0edaf616724b3cc0e9fec93086913101fc1530`
- Ref: `Induction#1b39`
- Supersedes:
  - `sema:Induction#mh:SHA-256:abe3ea1b875d069d84888fdcdf27d52e8ad3e974e42d97d1c5da39d80a162707`

## Links

- [Pattern page](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Induction/)
- [View in the interactive graph](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/#Induction)
- [JSON](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Induction.json)
- [Index of all patterns](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/index.json)