Deductive reasoning is a type of logical reasoning in which a conclusion is derived from a set of premises. The premises are assumed to be true, and the conclusion follows logically from the premises. For example:
* Premise 1: All men are mortal.
* Premise 2: Socrates is a man.
* Conclusion: Socrates is mortal.
In this example, the premises are that all men are mortal and that Socrates is a man. The conclusion, that Socrates is mortal, follows logically from the premises.
However, not all reasoning is deductive. Some reasoning, such as inductive reasoning, is based on evidence or observations. Inductive reasoning is a type of logical reasoning in which a general conclusion is drawn from a set of observations or evidence. For example:
* Observation 1: The sun rises in the east every day.
* Observation 2: The sun rises in the east every day.
* Conclusion: The sun will rise in the east tomorrow.
In this example, the observations are that the sun has risen in the east every day so far. The conclusion, that the sun will rise in the east tomorrow, is based on the evidence of the observations.
Inductive reasoning is not as certain as deductive reasoning. There is always the possibility that the conclusion of an inductive argument is false, even if the evidence is strong. However, inductive reasoning is often used because it is the only way to reach a conclusion about something that cannot be known with certainty.