AMoving from specific cases to general conclusions
BGuessing answers randomly
CMoving from general principles to specific conclusions
DIgnoring evidence
Answer:
C. Moving from general principles to specific conclusions
Read Explanation:
Deductive Reasoning
Definition: Deductive reasoning is a top-down logical cognitive process where a person arrives at a specific, logically certain conclusion starting from general premises, known facts, rules, or theories.
Direction of Flow: It moves from the General to Specific (Theory/Rule → Hypothesis → Observation → Confirmation).
Historical Foundation: The formal study of deductive logic originated with the Greek philosopher Aristotle, who developed the concept of the syllogism.
Key Characteristics
Certainty of Conclusion: If all initial premises are true and the logical rules are followed correctly, the final conclusion must also be true.
Syllogistic Form: A classic deductive structure consists of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion:
Major Premise: All humans are mortal. (General)
Minor Premise: Socrates is a human. (Specific case)
Conclusion: Therefore, Socrates is mortal. (Specific conclusion)
Validity vs. Soundness: An argument is valid if the conclusion follows logically from the premises, and sound if the argument is valid and all premises are factually true.
Deductive vs. Inductive Reasoning
Deductive Reasoning: Top-down approach (General → Specific); aims for certainty.
Inductive Reasoning: Bottom-up approach (Specific → General); moves from individual observations to broader generalizations and theories, dealing with probability rather than certainty.