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Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Analogy and Analogical Reasoning

Here's an outline of what you will learn:

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 inductive reasoning, since their conclusions do not follow with certainty but are only supported with varying degrees of strength. Here, ‘inductive reasoning’ is used in a broad sense that includes all inferential processes that “expand knowledge in the face of uncertainty” (Holland et al. 1986: 1), including abductive inference.

Analogical reasoning is fundamental to human thought and, arguably, to some nonhuman animals as well. Historically, analogical reasoning has played an important, but sometimes mysterious, role in a wide range of problem-solving contexts. The explicit use of analogical arguments, since antiquity, has been a distinctive feature of scientific, philosophical and legal reasoning. This article focuses primarily on the nature, evaluation and justification of analogical arguments. Related topics include metaphor, models in science, and precedent and analogy in legal reasoning.

1. Introduction: the many roles of analogy
2. Analogical arguments
2.1 Examples
2.2 Characterization
2.3 Plausibility
2.4 Analogical inference rules?

3. Criteria for evaluating analogical arguments
3.1 Commonsense guidelines
3.2 Aristotle's theory
3.3 Material criteria: Hesse's theory
3.4 Formal criteria: the structure-mapping theory
3.5 Other theories

4. Philosophical foundations for analogical reasoning
4.1 Deductive justification
4.2 Inductive justification
4.3 A priori justification
4.4 Pragmatic justification

5. Analogy and confirmation
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Now, have at it:

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/reasoning-analogy/