Summary:
Inductive reasoning is the process of reasoning from evidence. You arrive at the conclusion based on the information you are given. It it not a guess, or trial and error, it is an exact conclusion reached from information at hand. The methods used are sensory observation, enumeration, analogical reasoning, pattern recognition, casual reasoning, and statistical reasoning. Inductive reasoning can also contain many fallacies which we need to pay close attention to as a critical thinker. These fallacies include: hasty generalizations, either-or fallacy, questionable statistic, inconsistencies and contradictions, loaded questions, false analogy, false cause, and slippery slope. These are all different type of strategies that one may use in an argument to pursuade you into believing it is true.
Reflection:
I found this chapter very informative. It is true that we use inductive reasoning in our everyday encounters to draw conclusions. I am however, questioning the difference between this and inferences. I know an inference is more of a guess then a reasoning, but it is very similar, especially since they both are based on some type of probability. Reading about the fallacies mentioned in this chapter opened my eyes to a lot. I realize that I, myself, am prone to falling for these fallacies when used on me. I now will keep these in mind when critically thinking about a discussion or argument, so I do not get easily swayed in one direction.
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