What is deductive reasoning? Can you give me an example?

What is deductive reasoning? Can you give me an example?

Deductive reasoning is a logical process where conclusions are drawn from general principles. For example, if all humans are mortal and Socrates is a human, then Socrates is mortal.

Can you explain how that works in a real-life scenario?

Sure! Imagine you have a rule: "All birds can fly." If you see a sparrow, you can deduce that it can fly. However, if you later learn that some birds, like ostriches, cannot fly, you would need to revise your understanding.

What are some common mistakes people make with deductive reasoning?

A common mistake is assuming that a conclusion is true just because the premises are true. For instance, if someone says, "All cats are mammals, and my pet is a mammal, so it must be a cat," that's incorrect reasoning.

How does deductive reasoning differ from inductive reasoning?

Deductive reasoning starts with general statements and moves to a specific conclusion, while inductive reasoning starts with specific observations and formulates general conclusions.