PROCESS OF REASONING

There are two great categories original: "classes" of Reasoning: namely original: "viz.", (1) Inductive Reasoning, or the drawing of conclusions original: "inference" regarding general truths from specific original: "particular" truths; and (2) Deductive Reasoning, or the drawing of conclusions regarding specific truths from general truths.

Inductive Reasoning works by discovering a general truth from specific facts. For instance, from the specific facts that individual men die, we discover the general truth that “All men must die.” Or, from observing that in every recorded instance ice melts at a certain temperature, we may conclude that “All ice melts at a certain temperature.” Inductive Reasoning moves from the known to the unknown. It is essentially a synthetic process A process that builds up or combines individual parts into a unified whole.. It seeks to discover general laws from specific facts.

Deductive Reasoning works by discovering specific truths from general truths. Thus, we reason that as all men die, John Smith—being a man—must die. Or, because all ice melts at a certain temperature, it follows that the specific piece of ice currently being studied will melt at that certain temperature. Deductive Reasoning is therefore seen to be essentially an analytical process A process that breaks down a complex whole into its individual parts or applications..