# Analogy and Analogical Reasoning

> 【EN】An analogy is a comparison between two objects, or systems of objects, that highlights respects in which they are thought to be similar. Analogical reasoning is any type of thinking that relies upon an analogy. An analogical argument is an explicit representation of a form of analogical reasoning that cites accepted similarities between two systems to support the conclusion that some further similarity exists. In general (but not always), such arguments belong in the category of ampliative reasoning, since their conclusions do not follow with certainty but are only supported with varying degrees of strength. However, the proper characterization of analogical arguments is subject to debate (see §2.2 ). Analogical reasoning is fundamental to human thought and, arguably, to some nonhuman animals as well. … 【中】词条区分了类比、类比推理与类比论证三层：类比是比较，类比推理是依赖比较的思考，类比论证则把两个系统间已被接受的相似性组织起来，去支持“还存在某个进一步相似”的结论。此类论证多属扩充性推理，结论并非必然导出，只获得强弱不等的支持。词条还考察类比论证的刻画方式与可信性条件，并介绍亚里士多德、海西与结构映射理论等形式标准。

- ID: m13293
- Category: structure
- Domain: 逻辑学

## Definition

类比是在两个对象或对象系统之间作出的比较，突出它们被认为相似的方面；类比推理是依赖这种比较而展开的思考，通常据已知的相似去推出另一处相似。 脚手架作用：- 跨域迁移：借两域的关系结构对应，把已知解法投射到陌生问题上。 - 类比体检：检验相似点是系统关联还是巧合，防止停留在表面属性堆砌。

## How it works

为什么两系统在某些方面相似，就能支持它们在其他方面也相似？机制在于：已知相似点提供了结构对应关系，若它与目标属性存在系统性关联而非巧合，投射就有依据。结构映射理论强调，起决定作用的是关系结构的匹配，而非表面属性的堆砌。

## Practice

1) 明确源域与目标域，列出二者已知的结构性相似；2) 检查这些相似是否与待推属性相关，排除无关的表面对应；3) 反向寻找关键差异，评估结论强度并据此修正信心。

## Use

- 跨域迁移：借两域的关系结构对应，把已知解法投射到陌生问题上。 - 类比体检：检验相似点是系统关联还是巧合，防止停留在表面属性堆砌。

[Read the web page](https://thinkingmodels.site/en/entries/detail/m13293)