Types of Reasoning

1
Types of Reasoning

• Deductive vs. Inductive Arguments

2
Start with Observation

• A good scientist / investigator is observant.
• Gaining knowledge from observations is
  cumulative.
• For years, people based their beliefs on their
  interpretations of what they saw going on in the
  world with around them without testing the ideas
  to determine validity not scientifically valid.

3
From Observations to Theory

• Need reasoning and logic to mold your
  observations into an acceptable theory.
• Valid reason flow will take you from through the
  process.
• Two major types of reasoning arguments we will
  discuss deductive and inductive

4
Deductive Arguments

• Arguments that claim to provide complete support
  for the conclusion.
• Arguments whose claim is that if the premises are
  true, the conclusion must be true
• Impossible to have true premises and false
  conclusions at the same time.
• These are the arguments that will make your
  case.
• Logically valid

5
Inductive Arguments

• Arguments that claim to provide some, but not
  complete, support for the conclusion.
• No matter how strong the argument, it is always
  possible for the conclusion to be false even
  though the premises are true.
• Not logically valid
• Can play part in discovery of truths.

6
Summary

• Inductive reasoning is part of the discovery
  process whereby the observation of special cases
  leads one to suspect very strongly that some
  general principle is true
• Deductive reasoning is the method you would use
  to demonstrate with logical certainly that the
  principle is true
• Both are used in a most investigations