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This text from 1860 discusses how inductive reasoning skills, crucial to scientific discovery, are gained and practiced. The author states, “It is possible also for error to arise from a chain of erroneous deduction from principles which are genuine in themselves and soundly interpreted,” acknowledging the possibility of miscalculations in thinking despite a strong logical foundation. Ironically, the book itself demonstrates flawed reasoning. It assumes that, due to their intelligence, scientists would commit only small logical errors that their likeminded colleagues would detect and correct swiftly.

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