DEDUCTIVE vs.
INDUCTIVE
REASONING
KNOWLEDGE REPRESENTATION &
REASONING
WID2001
Reasoning
• The drawing of inferences or conclusions
from known or assumed facts.
• When solving a problem, one must
understand the question, gather all
pertinent facts, analyze the problem i.e.
compare with previous problems (note
similarities and differences), perhaps use
pictures or formulas to solve the problem.
Deductive Reasoning
• Deductive Reasoning – A type of logic in
which one goes from a general statement
to a specific instance.
• The classic example
All men are mortal. (major premise)
Socrates is a man. (minor premise)
Therefore, Socrates is mortal. (conclusion)
The above is an example of a syllogism.
Deductive Reasoning
• Syllogism:
– An argument composed of two statements or
premises (the major and minor premises),
followed by a conclusion.
– For any given set of premises, if the
conclusion is guaranteed, the arguments is
said to be valid.
– If the conclusion is not guaranteed (at least
one instance in which the conclusion does not
follow), the argument is said to be invalid.
Deductive Reasoning
Examples:
1. 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.
Deductive Reasoning
3. All Math teachers are over 7 feet tall.
Mr. D. is a Math teacher.
Therefore, Mr. D is over 7 feet tall.
• 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)
Venn Diagrams
• Venn Diagram: A diagram consisting of various
overlapping figures contained in a rectangle called the
universe.
U
A
This is an example of all A are B. (If A, then B.)
Venn Diagrams
This is an example of No A are B.
A
B
U
Venn Diagrams
This is an example of some A are B. (At least one
A is B.)
The green oval is A, the blue oval is B.
Examples
• Construct a Venn Diagram to determine
the validity of the given argument.
All smiling cats talk.
The Cheshire Cat smiles.
Therefore, the Cheshire Cat talks.
VALID OR INVALID???
Smiling cats
Things
that talk
Valid argument; x is Cheshire Cat
Examples
No one who can afford health insurance is
unemployed.
All politicians can afford health insurance
Therefore, no politician is unemployed.
VALID OR INVALID?????
X=politician. The argument is valid.
Politicians
X
People who can afford Unemployed
Health Care.
Examples
Some professors wear glasses.
Mr. Einstein wears glasses.
Therefore, Mr. Einstein is a professor.
• Let the green oval be professors,
and the blue oval be glass wearers.
• Then x (Mr. Einstein) is in the blue
oval, but not in the overlapping
region.
• The argument is invalid.
Inductive Reasoning
• Involves going from a series of specific
cases to a general statement.
• The conclusion in an inductive argument is
never guaranteed.
• Example: What is the next number in the
sequence 6, 13, 20, 27,…
There is more than one correct answer.
Inductive Reasoning
• Here’s the sequence again 6, 13, 20, 27,…
• Look at the difference of each term.
• 13 – 6 = 7, 20 – 13 = 7, 27 – 20 = 7
• Thus the next term is 34, because 34 – 27 = 7.
• However what if the sequence represents the
dates. Then the next number could be 3 (31 days
in a month).
• The next number could be 4 (30 day month)
• Or it could be 5 (29 day month – Feb. Leap year)
• Or even 6 (28 day month – Feb.)
