But there are several considerations that clearly matter in.

             determining the relative strength or weakness of my inductive inference: .

             1.Number of instances. If five friends instead of three report their satisfaction with.

             the model I intend to buy, that tends to make it even more likely that I will be satisfied,.

             too. In general, more instances strengthen an analogy; fewer weaken it. .

             2.Instance variety. If my three friends bought their Prizms from three different.

             dealers but were all delighted, then my conclusion is somewhat more likely to be true,.

             no matter where I decide to buy mine. In general, the more variety there is among the.

             instances, the stronger the analogical argument becomes. .

             3.Number of similarities. If my new purchase is not only the same make and model.

             from the same dealer but also has the same engine, then my conclusion is more likely.

             to be true. In general, the more similarities there are between the instances and my.

             conclusion, the better for the analogical argument. .

             4.Relevance. Of course, the criteria we're considering apply only if the matters with.

             which they are concerned are relevant to the argument. Ordinarily, for example, we.

             would assume that the day of the week on which a car was purchased is irrelevant to.

             a buyer's satisfaction with it. But relevance is not something about which we can be.

             terribly precise; it is always possible in principle to tell a story in the context of which.

             anything may turn out to be relevant. So we just have to use our best judgment in.

             deciding whether or not some respect deserves to be considered. .

             5.Number of dissimilarities. If my friends all bought Geos with automatic.

             transmissions and I plan to buy a Geo with a standard transmission, then the.

             conclusion that I will be delighted with my purchase is a little less likely to be true. In.

             general, the fewer dissimilarities between instances and conclusion, the better an.