Alexander J. Basa Jr.

BSN 3-A
Logic and Critical Thinking April 8,
2021

REASONING

Definition

- The process of creating or generating conclusions from evidences or premises

- Logical reasoning is a form of thinking in which premises and relations between premises
are used in a rigorous manner to infer conclusions.

Terms:
Logic- is the science that evaluates arguments.
Statement- is a sentence that is either true or false.
Premise- is a statement in an argument that provides reason or support for the conclusion.
Inference- a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning.

DEDUCTIVE REASONING

- Deductive reasoning is a basic form of valid reasoning. starts out with a general
statement, or hypothesis, and examines the possibilities to reach a specific, logical
conclusion.

- Deductive reasoning usually follows steps. First, there is a premise, then a second
premise, and finally an inference.

Example:
1st premise: All men are mortal.
2nd premise: Harold is a man.
Inference: Therefore, Harold is mortal."
- It's possible to come to a logical conclusion even if the generalization is not true. If the
generalization is wrong, the conclusion may be logical, but it may also be untrue.

Example:
1st premise: All bald men are grandfathers
2nd premise: Harold is bald
Inference: Therefore, Harold is a grandfather

- valid logically but it is untrue because the original statement is false.

INDUCTIVE REASONING

- Makes broad generalizations from specific observations. Basically, there is data, then
conclusions are drawn from the data. This is called inductive logic.

- "In inductive inference, we go from the specific to the general. We make many
observations, discern a pattern, make a generalization, and infer an explanation or a
theory,"

Example:

If all organisms are made of cells

and humans are organisms,
then all humans are made of cells.

- Even if all of the premises are true in a statement, inductive reasoning allows for the
conclusion to be false.

Example:
Harold is a grandfather
Harold is bald.
Therefore, all grandfathers are bald.

Reference:
Bradford (2017) Inductive vs. deductive reasoning retrieved from
https://www.livescience.com/21569-deduction-vs-induction.html
Arguments, premises and conclusion (n.d) retrieved from
https://www.uky.edu/~rosdatte/phi120/lesson1a.htm#ass1