lecture 3 reasoning
TRANSCRIPT
Introduction to Critical Thinking
Welcome to
Critical Thinking
Unit 3
Critical & Logical
Reasoning
ISM5001 Critical Thinking and Argumentation
Logic and Reasoning
Logic – The science of correct reasoning.
Reasoning – The drawing of inferences or conclusions from known or assumed facts.
Two basic categories of human reasoning
Deduction: reasoning from general premises, which are known or presumed to be known, to more specific, certain conclusions.
Induction: reasoning from specific cases to more general, but uncertain, conclusions.
Both deductive and inductive arguments occur frequently and naturally…both forms of reasoning can be equally compelling and persuasive, and neither form is preferred over the other (Hollihan & Baske, 1994).
Deductive Reasoning Example:
When it rains, John’s old car won’t start. It’s raining. Therefore, John’s old car won’t start. (Applies a broad generalization to a specific case.)
Inductive Reasoning Example:
John’s old car won’t start. It’s raining. Therefore, John’s old car won’t start when it’s raining. (Uses a specific case to reach a broad generalization.)
To better visualize the difference between deductive and inductive reasoning imagine each as a triangle. The deductive pyramid is upside down, while the inductive pyramid is right side up:
Broad Generalization
To specific
Deductive Reasoning
Inductive Reasoning:When detectives arrive at the scene of a crime, the
first thing they do is look for clues that can help them piece together what happened. A broken window, for example, might suggest how a burglar entered or exited. Likewise, the fact that an intruder didn't disturb anything but a painting that hid a safe might suggest that the burglar knew exactly where the safe was hidden. And this, in turn, suggests that the burglar knew the victim.
The process described above is called inductive reasoning. It consists of making observations and then drawing conclusions based on those observations.
• Like a detective, you use inductive reasoning all the time in your daily life.
• You might notice, for example, that every time you eat a hot dog with chili and onions, you get a stomachache.
• Using inductive reasoning, you could logically conclude that the chili dogs cause indigestion, and that you should probably stop eating them.
• Similarly, you might notice that your cat tries to scratch you every time you rub her stomach.
• In both examples, what you're doing is moving from the specific—a particular observation—to the general—a larger conclusion.
• Inductive reasoning starts from observation and evidence and leads to a conclusion.
Using inductive reasoning generally involves the following questions:
1. What have you observed? What evidence is available?
2. What can you conclude from that evidence?
3. Is that conclusion logical?
In deductive reasoning, on the other hand, we start with the conclusion and then see if the evidence for that conclusion is valid. Generally, if the evidence is valid, the conclusion it supports is valid as well. In other words, deductive reasoning involves asking:
1. What is the conclusion? 2. What evidence supports it? 3. Is that evidence logical?
If you can answer yes to question 3, then the conclusion should be logical and the argument sound.
Deductive Reasoning1. All students eat pizza.
Claire is a student at ASU.Therefore, Claire eats pizza.
2. All athletes work out in the gym. Barry Bonds is an athlete. Therefore, Barry Bonds works out in the gym.
3. All math teachers are over 7 feet tall. Mr. D. is a math teacher. Therefore, Mr. D is over 7 feet tall.
Deductive Reasoning
The argument is valid, but is certainly not true.
The above examples are of the form
If p, then q. (major premise)
x is p. (minor premise)
Therefore, x is q. (conclusion)
Deductive VersusInductive Reasoning
Deduction It is the form or structure
of a deductive argument that determines its validity
the fundamental property of a valid, deductive argument is that if the premises are true, then the conclusion necessarily follows.
The conclusion is said to be “entailed” in, or contained in, the premises. example: use of DNA
testing to establish paternity
Induction By contrast, the form or
structure of an inductive argument has little to do with its perceived believability or credibility, apart from making the argument seem more clear or more well-organized.
The receiver (or a 3rd party) determines the worth of an inductive argument
Deduction Versus Induction--still more
Deductive reasoning is commonly found in the natural sciences or “hard” sciences, less so in everyday arguments
Occasionally, everyday arguments do involve deductive reasoning: Example: “Two or more
persons are required to drive in the diamond lane. You don’t have two or more persons. Therefore you may not drive in the diamond lane”
Inductive reasoning is found in the courtroom, the boardroom, the classroom, and throughout the media
Most, but not all everyday arguments are based on induction Examples: The
“reasonable person” standard in civil law, and the “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard in criminal law
Inductive or deductive reasoning? A sample of fifty
motorists who were stopped by the CHP at a sobriety checkpoint on a Saturday at midnight revealed that one in four drivers were either uninsured, intoxicated, or both. Thus, if you get involved in an accident on the freeway there is a 25% chance the other motorist will be drunk or uninsured.
The Law of the Sea treaty states that any vessel beyond a 12 mile limit is in international waters. The treaty also states that any vessel in international waters cannot be legally stopped or boarded. Therefore, when the U.S. Coast Guard intercepts boats coming from Cuba or Haiti more than 12 miles from the U.S. coast, it is violating the Law of the Sea.
Sample Deductive and Inductive ArgumentsExample of
Deduction major premise: All
tortoises are vegetarians
minor premise: Bessie is a tortoise
conclusion: Therefore, Bessie is a vegetarian
Example of Induction
Boss to employee: “John has a tattoo of an anchor on his arm. He probably served in the Navy.”
Deductive Reasoning
All squares are rectangles, and all rectangles have four sides.
All squares have four sides.
Inductive Reasoning
All swans we have seen have been white; therefore the next swan we see will be white.
Inductive Reasoning
All known planets travel about the sun in ellipitical orbits; therefore all planets travel about the sun in ellipitical orbits.
Deductive or Inductive?
Exploration of the surface of Mars has produced some surprising facts. Therefore exploration of the surface of Jupiter will produce some surprising facts.
Advantages/Disadvantages
Advantage of deductive reasoning is the truths that it establishes are absolute
Disadvantage of deductive reasoning is that must have some truths in hand before starting
Advantages/Disadvantages
Advantage with inductive reasoning can start with nothing, make some observations, reach conclusions
Disadvantage is the conclusions are tentative
It's easy to confuse inductive and deductive reasoning, so here's something to help you remember which is which:
Inductive: Evidence · Conclusion (IEC)
Deductive: Conclusion · Evidence (DCE)
Three Fundamental Patterns of Reasoning
3. Comparative reasoning Makes interpretations, draws inferences, or
offers explanations by relying on something that is more familiar in order to understand something that is less familiar.
“This is like that” reasoning.
Useful for suggesting ideas and promising areas of inquiry and investigation
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