THE RATIONALITY OF INDUCTION IN KANT (AND HUME)

This paper argues that Kant agrees with the substance of Hume's critique of induction but without following Hume in characterizing induction as non-rational. I begin in part one by situating the problem of induction within the context of Kant's theoretical philosophy, and by comparing Hume's view that inductive inferences are based on custom or habit with Kant's view that they are based on reason's assumption that nature is systematic. Part two examines Kant's view of the mental process by which reason leads us to assume that nature is systematic a process that involves, I argue, reflecting on conditions of experience and then extending this reflection to an unconditioned idea. Part three then turns to addressing why and in what sense Kant thinks that we are justified in assuming that nature is systematic. Finally, in part four I flesh out my interpretation by arguing that it makes sense of Kant's description of reason's principle of the systematicity of nature as both transcendental and regulative.