To understand very well everything that is around, have agile thinking and thus optimize learning, it is necessary to carry out categories and associations. That is why we will talk in detail about what deductive reasoning is and 11 examples to understand it.
What is deductive reasoning?
Before mentioning deductive reasoning examples, it is important to know what deductive reasoning is. It is a way of arguing where a premise, which is considered valid, leads to a specific conclusion that will be valid.
In the examples of deductive reasoning, it will be possible to observe how the cases always go from the general to the particular.
When talking about deductive reasoning examples, keep in mind that the premise is usually adapted as if it were a law. Or as if it were a general principle that is true at all times. Since the conclusion follows from the same premise, the conclusion will therefore be valid. This means that the conclusion will be indispensably true.
Through what is deductive reasoning, certain facts or phenomena can be understood. Apart from that it is also a type of reasoning that is quite widespread among scientists. However, it is something that does not offer more information, since it is only responsible for confirming or corroborating the axiom or premise.
In reference to deductive reasoning examples, remember that the premise is, according to logic, a proposition that comes before the conclusion. From which we also start to reach the conclusion. Where the axiom is considered a proposition that is taken as self-evident. And of which no proof is required in advance.
What are the characteristics of deductive reasoning?
To understand more thoroughly about deductive reasoning examples, it is necessary to know what its characteristics are.
Plot
In deductive reasoning examples you have to know that the argument is the process that allows you to refute or justify the truth of something. This means that it is exposed as true or false.
Conclusion and premise
When talking about deductive reasoning examples, you have to know that it is made up of a major premise, a minor premise and the conclusion.
Every premise is true
For this type of thinking to exist there must be a condition, and that is that the premises must be true at all times. Therefore the premises are accepted as laws or as axioms.
The conclusions are admitted as valid
According to what has already been explained about deductive reasoning examples, since all the premises are true, the conclusions will also be true. But this is so, as long as it has been assumed that the reasoning procedure is correct.
There is no new information
Likewise, on deductive reasoning examples, it should not be forgotten that the conclusions are a corroboration of the premises. Therefore, what is done is to reaffirm the truth that is contained in the premise.
Fallacies can occur
Although all the conclusions are admitted as true, fallacies may exist. And this is possible if the deduction is made from false or doubtful premises. It is also possible that it occurs if reasoning fails.
What are the types of deductive reasoning?
With respect to deductive and inductive reasoning, in deductive reasoning a conclusion is always deduced from a premise that is general. Likewise, the argument is divided into two complementary premises and a conclusion which is reached after the deduction process. Still, there are different ways in which this kind of logical thinking can be applied.
Syllogism
When talking about deductive reasoning examples, you have to know that this is the thinking par excellence. The notion of this kind of thinking was introduced to science by Aristotle, which is why it is known as an Aristotelian syllogism. In this procedure, the major premise or also called universal is exposed. As well as a minor premise or also called particular and the conclusion that is derived from them.
Modus tollendo tollens
The first premise is the one that states a condition, but in the second part that condition is not confirmed. This form of reasoning is also known as negation of the consequent, therefore the scheme is as follows: If P implies Q and this is not true, it means that P is not true either.
modus ponndo pons
With respect to deductive and inductive reasoning, it should be known that this kind of reasoning is known as an affirmation of the antecedent. This is because the second premise is responsible for confirming the information that is conditional on the first.
It means then that, in the first part is where a condition is set and confirmed in the second. Leaving the scheme as follows: When P implies Q and P is true, it means that Q is also true.
What are the differences between deductive and inductive reasoning?
The two reasonings are widely used by researchers, scientists and philosophers. They are even used in the same investigation, but both have important differences.
The deductive is applied in all formal sciences, as in the case of mathematics. While the inductive is applied to the social and experimental sciences.
On the one hand, the deductive establishes conclusions that are based on generalizations. But the inductive is based only on observing the facts, the phenomena and generalizes based on those observations.
The conclusions in the deductive at all times are rigorous and valid, but in the inductive are probable, it means that they are not valid by themselves. Finally, the deductive does not produce new knowledge, while the deductive does.
11 examples of deductive reasoning
Deductive and inductive reasoning allows the human being to establish conclusions based on a premise. And some of the deductive reasoning examples are:
- The snake belongs to the reptile family and has no hair. The alligator is part of the reptiles and does not have hair either. Most likely, neither reptile has hair.
- Claudia is a woman and has mathematical skills. Estefanía is a woman and has mathematical skills. Maria is a woman and has mathematical skills. All women are likely to have math skills.
- Mars, Neptune and Earth revolve around the sun and are also spheroids. Probably all the planets are spheroids and revolve around the sun.
- My parrot imitates the sounds it hears. Similarly, the neighbor’s parrot mimics the sounds it hears. All parrots may mimic the sounds and listen.
- Two times zero equals zero. Thirty-eight times zero equals zero. Five hundred and ninety-two times zero equals zero. It means that all numbers multiplied by zero equal zero.
- Fish are animals and require oxygen to live. Also, mammals are animals and require oxygen to live. And birds are animals and require oxygen to live. So all animals require oxygen to live.
- Neurons are cells and contain cytoplasm. Likewise, ovules are cells and have cytoplasm. But in addition, bacteria are cells and have cytoplasm. It may be that all cells have cytoplasm.
- José Sousa is a hard-working man and he is Portuguese. Olga Brito is a working woman and she is Portuguese. Isabel Pereira is a worker and is Portuguese. There is a good chance that all Portuguese are hard-working people.
- María is Venezuelan and has a good sense of humor. Juan is Venezuelan and has a good sense of humor. Pedro is Venezuelan and has a good sense of humor. There is a good chance that all Venezuelans have a good sense of humor.
- Yesterday in the course of the storm, thunder was heard after the lightning. Today in the course of the storm thunder was heard after the lightning. It means that the thunder is likely to be caused by lightning.
- The recycling program at the Esperanza school, which belongs to the municipality of La Paz, was a complete success. Also, the recycling program of the Futuro school that belongs to the municipality of La Paz was a complete success. And the recycling program of the Escuela Moral y Luces that belongs to the municipality of La Paz was a complete success. It is quite likely that all the recycling programs of the schools that belong to the municipality of La Paz will be a complete success.
Sources: meanings, lifeder and better with health.