Inferential and Deductive Reasoning – Definitions and Understanding
Deductive reasoning is based on the idea that if the premises are true and the logic is valid, then the conclusion must be true. Its flaw is that it can be very hard to show that the premises are absolutely true.A classic syllogism
All humans are mortal (Premise), Pii Ying is a human Therefore,Pii Ying will die. (conclusion)
But how do we know that all men are mortal? We know that no human born more than 150 years ago is still alive, but is that proof? Could we ever get immortality? So deductive reasoning may be more useful where we can absolutely define our terms (the quintessential case being mathematics)Inductive reasoning, on the other hand, embraces the uncertainty in the premises:
So far, all humans I have met have died within 150 years of being born (Premise) Pii Ying is a human
Therefore,
It is extremely likely that Pii Ying will die before reaching 150.