Friday, April 17, 2009

TFY Chapter 12 – Deductive Reasoning Exercise

Discovery Exercise – Page 348 – What is Deductive Reasoning?
Using at least two dictionaries, look up the terms deduction, deductive logic, and reasoning. Then write out in your own words a definition of deductive reasoning.

Deduction:
1. Noun – the process of deducting; subtraction (dictionary.com)
2. Noun – the process of using information you have in order to understand situation or find answer to a problem
Deductive logic:
1. Noun – a process of reasoning in which a conclusion follows necessary from the premises presented, so that the conclusion cannot be false if the premises are true. (dictionary.com)
2. Noun – a process of reasoning that moves from the general to the specific, in which a conclusion follows necessarily from the premises presented, so that the conclusion cannot be false if the premises are true. (wiktionary.com)

Deductive reasoning:
1. Noun – reasoning from the general to the particular (or from cause to effect) (dictionary.com)
2. Noun – inference in which the conclusion is just as certain as the premises (wiktionary.com)

My definition of deductive reasoning: reasoning that goes from a more general topic into the details of that topic.

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