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Scientific Key Event
John Stuart Mill was one of the most influential philosophers during the mid-1800s. While Mill is commonly known for his contributions to utilitarianism, he took great interest in all philosophy branches (Macleod). Mill published "A System of Logic: Ratiocinative and Inductive" (1843-1872), which was a two-volume book series that investigated the scientific method. "A System of Logic" sparked an interest in empirical thinkers around the world. -
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Logic
“A System of Logic”, Book I, first explores and defines what logic is and then where its place is in the scientific method. Mill describes logic as a method of proof since it is made from an assertion or proposition (Mill). Mill goes into detail about propositions and their relation to language. -
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Logic's Place
Mill concludes, that logic does not apply to metaphysics and that it was not included in science in the second book of "A System of Logic". -
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Inductive Method
Mill introduces his inductive method, which he referred to as "The Four Methods Of Experimental Inquiry". They included the Method of Agreement, the Method of Difference, the Joint Method, Method of Concomitant Variations, and the Method of Concomitant Variations (Mill). All of these methods observe and explain cause and effect. -
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Moral Sciences
In the last book of "A System of Logic" Mill argues that moral sciences, known as ethics, should have the same logical structure as science (Mill). This structure would include all his inductive methods.