Page:Mind (Old Series) Volume 9.djvu/467

 w. WUNDT'S LOGIK, ii. 455 itself being established, whilst in the latter we aim at disproving all the possible counter-theses. The direct proofs fall, in accord- ance with the main division of scientific method, into the d'-dnctiv' and the induct ire. The process of Deduction may be carried out either synthetically or analytically. By this is meant that we may either assume that the requisite premisses have been somehow obtained, and then argue from them to the conclusion ; or, start- ing with the conclusion only as definitely before us, reason from it to such consequences as will establish it. The former corres- ponds to the familiar Aristotelian syllogism, which has thus obtained far more prominence than its comparatively subordinate position fairly entitles it to. Its main merit consists in its com- parative convenience and elegance : its defect is found in the fact that there may often be nothing in the process to suggest how and why the premisses came to be chosen, the conclusion by no means obviously leading up to them. On the other hand, the analytic process is more orderly in respect of practical con- venience, as it reasons from the conclusion which is confessedly before us. It is subdivided into two, according as the conse- quences consist of general propositions including and establishing the thesis these Prof. Wundt terms c'-fe<jrical, in that we thereby acquire certainty equal to that of the synthetic process or as the consequences are particular facts. This last is called li'/jjoth 'Heal, in that the conclusion is only a more or less probable one. The Inductive proof again is divided into the theoretic and the practical, according as what we seek to establish is a general proposition or a single fact. The former of these is naturally more prevalent in the province of science and the latter in that of common life and that of the criminal law courts. As regards indirect proofs the distinctions amongst these are made to rest upon what seem more artificial grounds, -viz., the number and the nature of the alternatives amongst which we have to choose. They are termed respectively : disjunctive, when we have three or more positive alternatives, A, B, C, at our selection ; contrary, when we have two only, these being each marked by positive attributes (such as, in fact, are often termed material contra- dictories) ; and contradictory, when the alternatives are of the formal A and not-A description. The scheme of arrangement might therefore stand as follows : ( Synthetic i Deductive-^ ., ,. ( General propositions. Direct ) (* C 1 Particular propositions. ' T i * ( Proving a general theorem (theoretic). Proofs 1 Inductive j p^.^ & ^^ foct (pracd v cal) i ( Disjunctive form. ^ Indirect < Contrary form. ( Contradictory form. So far we have been considering the General Introduction. As regards the more detailed discussion given to the special sciences,