distinguish between
inductive and deductive reasoning
Give two examples that show how gender polarization has resulted in women being treated unfairly in the workplace
Inductive reasoning and deductive reasoning are two different methods of logical thinking. They are used to analyze and draw conclusions, but they differ in their approach and the level of certainty with which the conclusions can be made.
Deductive reasoning is a logical process that starts with general principles or premises and applies them to specific situations or observations to draw specific conclusions. It follows a top-down approach, where if the premises are true, the conclusion is also true. The conclusions in deductive reasoning are considered to be certain and definitive. An example of deductive reasoning would be:
Premise 1: All cats are mammals.
Premise 2: Fluffy is a cat.
Conclusion: Therefore, Fluffy is a mammal.
In this example, we start with the general premise that all cats are mammals and then apply it to the specific situation of Fluffy being a cat to reach the conclusion that Fluffy is a mammal.
Inductive reasoning, on the other hand, is a logical process that involves making generalizations based on specific observations or patterns. It follows a bottom-up approach, where specific observations are used to make a generalization or prediction. The conclusions in inductive reasoning are considered to be probable or likely but not certain. An example of inductive reasoning would be:
Observation 1: Every time it has rained in the past, the ground has become wet.
Observation 2: It is raining now.
Conclusion: Therefore, the ground will become wet.
In this example, we observe a pattern that every time it has rained in the past, the ground has become wet. Based on this pattern, we make a generalization or prediction that the ground will become wet when it is raining now.
To distinguish between inductive and deductive reasoning, remember that deductive reasoning starts with general principles and applies them to specific situations, leading to certain conclusions. On the other hand, inductive reasoning starts with specific observations or patterns and makes generalizations or predictions, leading to probable conclusions.