Gentlemen thinker.
Philosophical concepts explained in brief in a posh English accent.
Deduction and Induction.
Generally speaking there are two sorts of reasoning; deduction and induction.
Deduction is sometimes called the top-down approach it takes premises and
reduces them down to conclusions. For instance, All men are mortal. Earl Grey is a man. Therefore, earl grey is mortal.
This is an example of deductive reasoning.
Note [that] we can be logically certain of the conclusion. Given the premises the conclusion must be true.
Inductive reasoning is sometimes called the bottom-up approach. It takes premises and draws probable conclusions based on what those premises.
provide evidence for. For instance every British person you have ever met has been polite.
Therefore the next British person you meet will be polite. Note that the conclusion of an inductive argument is not
certain. It is possible that the next British person you meet will be a total cad.
Indeed the moment at which you meet a rude Brit will be the moment at which the evidence is greatest for assuming you won't.
Much of science is built on inductive reasoning despite the fact that its conclusions are uncertain. It is a
fantastic guide to truth if you note that a cannonball falls to Earth ninety nine  times. You can be fairly
but not completely certain that it will fall the 100th time. One of the best ways to appreciate the contrast between
deduction and induction is to recognize that deduction is complete. It is clear
what makes a good deduction.  Namely that the premises entail the conclusion.
But it isn't really clear what makes a good induction. The Cannonball argument is clearly good induction,
but all swans ever observed are white. Therefore all swans are white is clearly a bad induction.
Subscribe to Philosophy Tube for more from the Gentlemen Thinker. Till then Cheerio old chap
