It is natural to men to judge of things less known, by…
“It is natural to men to judge of things less known, by some similitude they observe, or think they observe, between them and things more familiar or better known. In many cases, we have no better way of judging. And, where the things compared have really a great similitude in their nature, when there is reason to think that they are subject to the same laws, there may be a considerable degree of probability in conclusions drawn from analogy.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Analogy is a natural human method for judging unfamiliar things by comparing them to known ones, though it has limits.
In simple terms: We judge unknowns by comparing to knowns.
Key Takeaway
Use analogies wisely, but test them.
Themes
reasoning
knowledge
comparison
Mood
cautious
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- education
- scientific research
- every‑making
Key Concepts
analogy
probabilistic inference
Questions to Reflect On
- When is analogy unreliable?
- How can we verify analogical conclusions?
A Different Perspective
Analogies can mislead if similarities are superficial.