A System of Logic: Ratiocinative and Inductive, 7th Edition, Vol. II

A philosophical work written in the mid-19th century. This volume continues Mill's exploration of logic, particularly focusing on the principles of evidence and the methods of scientific investigation. The book examines various types of reasoning, especially induction, and investigates the nature and limits of scientific hypotheses. The opening of this volume establishes a foundation for discussing induction, emphasizing the interplay between inductive and deductive methods in scientific inquiry. Mill begins by outlining the distinction between ultimate and derivative laws in nature, arguing that while derivative laws can often be resolved into more general ones, ultimate laws cannot. He prompts readers to consider the possibility of arriving at a single universal law that encompasses all natural phenomena, based on the continuous efforts of scientific exploration and experimentation—an idea that reflects a key concern of the Enlightenment era. Mill also highlights the significance of hypotheses in science, detailing how they can be essential for the deductive process but need to be tested against empirical evidence to be validated.