Research On The Analogical Reasoning

Analogical reasoning is one of the most important creative methods. Maybe its probability conclusions is not consistent with the logicians'pursue of the necessity,the theory had been ignored for a long time and developed slowly. On the view of logic,this article will review the development process of analogical reasoning briefly, make a more systematic classification of analogical reasonings integrated in other subjects, elaborate the basis of analogical reasoning from there aspects: psychology, logic and epistemology,and point out the significance of analogical reasoning finally.This paper includes the following five parts:The first part briefly examines the development process of analogical reasoning from the three logical tradition including west logical tradition , Chinese logical tradition and Indian logical tradition.The second part introduces the characteristics of analogy reasoning from four aspects: analogy reasoning has rich froms. analogy reasoning contains rational factors and irrational factors; The conclusion is contingent;the applicable scope is extensive.The third part of this paper classify the common analogy reasonings from the angle of logic.This part also divides analogical reasonings into inductive analogy reasoning and non-inductive analogy reasoning from dependence between the analogy item and the analog source. The conclusion of inductive analogical reasoning is entirely based on experiences, but the conclusions of the non-inductive analogy is not entirely empirical, and the non-inductive analogy is the more pure sense of analogical reasoning.The forth part trys to reveal the the basis of analogical reasoning from three angles: the Psychological basis of analogical reasoning is intuition.the logical basis of analogical reasoning is class and similarity. The epistemological basis of analogical reasoning shows on two aspects.Firstly, being the intermediary agent of cognition, analogical reasoning takes practice as basis.Secondly, the analogy main body is also to construct his own structure of knowledge in practice.The fifth part of the paper is to point out that the role of analogical reasoning: analogical reasoning will help to foster creative thinking; analogical reasoning is an important way to achieve scientific discovery;analogical reasoning can help to fill loopholes in the law, analogical reasoning has the interpretation and verification functions.