Deductive And Inductive Reasoning

444 Words2 Pages
Before we look at specific arguments for the existence of God, it is useful to have some understanding of what an argument is, and what it might be expected to achieve. When we use the word ‘argument’ in conversation, we often mean a disagreement: ‘You were flirting with my boyfriend …’ ‘No I wasn’t …’ ‘Yes you were!’ and so on. But in philosophical terms, an argument is not the same as a string of contradictions with a few insults thrown in. An argument has a conclusion (or several conclusions), and these are supported by reasons in an attempt to persuade someone that the conclusions are true. Many arguments are based on inductive reasoning, and others are based on deductive reasoning. 67 Understanding Philosophy of Religion Key terms inductive arguments – cannot prove, but they try to persuade by providing evidence from human experience in support of the conclusion. deductive arguments – depend only on logic and not on experience. If the premises are true, then the conclusion is proved. amount they drank at the restaurant rather than because of the food. But with a deductive argument, the conclusion is an inevitable result of the logic of the premises. It is not based on observation or experience, but on logical processes. Develop your knowledge Detailed discussions of different ways of arguing and of evaluating arguments can be found in books about critical thinking skills, such as: Critical Thinking: An Introduction by Alec Fisher (Cambridge University Press, 2001) Critical Reasoning: A Practical Introduction by Anne Thomson (Routledge, 2002) For a briefer outline in the context of the philosophy of religion, pp.40–44 of: Philosophy of Religion: Thinking about Faith by C. Stephen Evans (Intervarsity Press, 1985) A priori and a posteriori arguments Another very similar way of classifying arguments is into two
Open Document