We explain what deductive and inductive arguments are, how to differentiate them and examples of each one.
What are deductive and inductive arguments?
Deduction and induction are two opposing logical reasoning methods, which consist respectively of going from the general to the particular and vice versa. Therefore, deductive arguments and inductive arguments are the types of arguments that are formulated according to each of these different methods.
The arguments, in their entirety, start from establishing a logical connection between their premises and their conclusions. But this route can be carried out, in principle, according to these two lines of reasoning, each of which implies different characteristics:
- The deductive arguments. In them, the conclusions are necessarily inferred from the premises, following a series of logical steps. This means that they are conclusive arguments, seeking to affirm a truth in all possible cases.
- Inductive arguments. On the contrary, in these arguments the conclusions are sustained in the veracity of the premises, but cannot guarantee their certainty, so they are inconclusive arguments. In other words, these arguments allow us to suppose probable conclusions, but they do not provide certainty as to whether they are fulfilled in all cases.
Obviously, both cases of reasoning are important and can yield valuable results, although in the case of deductive these results must be either valid or invalid, depending on the validity of the premises and the correct deductive logic.
On the contrary, the results of inductive reasoning cannot be measured in terms of validity or invalidity, since more than anything they affirm the probability of its conclusions.
How to differentiate deductive and inductive arguments?
When distinguishing between deductive and inductive arguments, it is best to pay attention to their internal logic and the language used to formulate them, as follows:
| Deductive argument | Inductive argument |
|---|---|
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Examples of deductive arguments
Here are a couple of examples of deductive reasoning:
- Syllogisms are an example of deductive reasoning, as understood by Aristotle. For instance:
Premise: The planets are round.
Premise: The earth is a planet.
conclusion: The earth is round.
- Other forms of deductive arguments are some of those that apply in the empirical sciences. For example, the famous Pavlov experiment, in which the Russian scientist established the relationship between the dog’s salivary and the sound of the bell:
Premise: The dog salivates before eating.
Premise: I ring a bell before feeding the dog, long enough.
conclusion: From now on, the dog salivates when he hears the bell, because he has associated it with food.
Examples of inductive arguments
Here are some examples of inductive reasoning:
- An everyday situation: we open the window and see clouds in the sky. From that premise, we draw a possible conclusion: “it will rain”. We are not certain that it will happen, but judging by what we know about the world and the climate, we see it quite likely.
- Suppose we leave the house and see the bakery closed. We walked a bit more, and the butcher shop didn’t open either. We go ahead and neither did the supermarket. We then come to the conclusion that all businesses are probably idle.
- A German goes to a Peruvian restaurant and the food is delicious; Another day he goes to a Mexican restaurant and the food is delicious; another day he goes to a Venezuelan restaurant and the food is delicious. Finally conclude: Latin American food is delicious, even though he knows and understands that these three countries do not make Latin America all.