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Deductive Reasoning as a Method of Thinking in Logic

Lecture



Deduction (from Latin deductio — derivation, also called deductive reasoning, syllogism) — is a method of thinking whose result is a logical conclusion, the truth of which is guaranteed by the truth of the premises. It can also be defined as a logico-methodological procedure by which the transition from the general to the particular is carried out in the process of reasoning.

The starting points (premises) of deduction are axioms or simply hypotheses that have the character of general statements («the general»), while the end point is the consequences of the premises, theorems («the particular»). If the premises of a deduction are true, then its consequences are also true. Deduction is the primary means of logical proof. It is the opposite of induction.

An example of the simplest deductive inference:

Deductive Reasoning as a Method of Thinking in Logic

Conditional-categorical inferences

Inferences in which one premise is a conditional statement, and the second premise coincides with the antecedent or consequent of the conditional statement, or with the result of negating the antecedent or consequent of the conditional statement.

The truth of the antecedent entails the truth of the consequent, and the negation of the consequent entails the negation of the antecedent.

Forms of the valid modes (types) of conditional-categorical inferences:

  • the affirming mode (Latin modus ponens): Deductive Reasoning as a Method of Thinking in Logic
  • the denying mode (Latin modus tollens): Deductive Reasoning as a Method of Thinking in Logic

Disjunctive-categorical inferences

Inferences in which one of the premises is a disjunctive statement, and the second coincides with one of the members of the disjunctive statement (1) or negates all but one (2). In the conclusion, accordingly, all members except the one indicated in the second premise are negated (1), or the omitted member is affirmed (2).

Forms of the valid modes of disjunctive-categorical inferences

  1. The affirming-denying mode (Latin modus ponendo-tollens): Deductive Reasoning as a Method of Thinking in Logic (here a strictly disjunctive statement is required). That is: the first premise: either A, or B, or C …, the second premise: B; the conclusion: therefore, not A, not C … .
  2. The denying-affirming mode (Latin modus tollendo-ponens): Deductive Reasoning as a Method of Thinking in Logic. That is: the first premise: A or B or C …, the second premise: not A, not C …; the conclusion: therefore, B.

Conditional inferences

Inferences whose premises and conclusions are conditional statements.

  • Contraposition: Deductive Reasoning as a Method of Thinking in Logic. That is: premise: if A, then B; conclusion: therefore, if not B, then not A. For example, if an animal is a mammal, then it is a vertebrate. Therefore, if some animal is not a vertebrate, then it is not a mammal.
  • Complex contraposition: Deductive Reasoning as a Method of Thinking in Logic. That is: premise: if A and B, then C; conclusion: therefore, if A and not C, then not B.
  • Transitivity: Deductive Reasoning as a Method of Thinking in Logic. That is: the first premise: if A, then B; the second premise: if B, then C; conclusion: therefore, if A, then C.

Deductive Reasoning as a Method of Thinking in Logic

A diagram of the classical representation of the relationship between theory, empiricism, induction, and deduction.

Dilemmas

A special type of inference made up of two conditional statements and one disjunctive statement.

Types of valid dilemmas:

  • constructive:

Deductive Reasoning as a Method of Thinking in Logic

(that is: the first premise: if A, then C; the second premise: if B, then C; the third premise: A or B; conclusion: therefore, C);

Deductive Reasoning as a Method of Thinking in Logic(complex)

(that is: the first premise: if A, then B; the second premise: if C, then D; the third premise: A or C; conclusion: therefore, B or D);

  • destructive:

Deductive Reasoning as a Method of Thinking in Logic

(that is: the first premise: if A, then B; the second premise: if A, then C; the third premise: not B or not C; conclusion: therefore, not A);

Deductive Reasoning as a Method of Thinking in Logic(complex)

(that is: the first premise: if A, then B; the second premise: if C, then D; the third premise: not B or not D; conclusion: therefore, not A or not C).

Deductive Reasoning as a Method of Thinking in Logic

A diagram of the classical representation of the relationship between theory, empiricism, induction, and deduction.

Interesting facts

The «deductive» method of Sherlock Holmes is based on typical abductive inferences

See also

  • Inductive reasoning
  • Modus ponens
  • Categorical syllogism
  • Deduction
  • Induction
  • Thinking

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Lectures and tutorial on "Logics"

Terms: Logics