A Class Room Logic / Deductive and Inductive, with Special Application to the Science and Art of Teaching

by George Hastings McNair

2. THE INDUCTIVE HAZARD.

Referring to the first inductive syllogism of sectionone, it is assumed that the robin, crow and sparrow are representative birds, and that we are thus justified in concluding that if these type birds have wings, then all birds must have wings. Of course this is more or less of a conjecture or “a hazard”; since birds without wings may exist in some undiscovered corner of the globe. However, inasmuch as the generalization concerns a representative quality, we deem the assumption fairly well founded. The logical right to take this “leap into the unknown” will be discussed later. It will profit us at this time to realize more fully how essential the “inductive hazard” is to the progress of the world. When the Schoolmen of mediæval time refused to venture, they failed to progress, and thus came the dark days. Whenever man has ignored this God given instinct which leads to discovery, the world has stood still. This willingness to “take a leap into the dark” with the hope of finding, in the shadow, truth which would enhance man’s power and increase his serviceableness, has given to the world about all that is worth while. It was the spirit of the hazard which pushed Columbus to the discovery of a new world; which gave Newton the secrets of the motions of the universe; which enabled Edison to harness a multitude of lurking forces; and Morse and Bell to reduce distance to its lowest terms. In ordinary affairs with ordinary men those succeed best who manifest most a safe, steady, persistent spirit of discovery. Here, then, in the “inductive hazard” have we a most important phase of school life which, in this day of making the work easy, is being sadly neglected. On the other hand, anunregulated and insane spirit of venture may result in a great waste of energy, and in the development of low ideals of recklessness and inaccuracy. The “inductive hazard” must be cultivated; yet it must be regulated as well, and, as the reader already realizes, logic needs to concern itself mainly with this regulative aspect.