types of deductive and inductive arguments
categorical syllogism
DEDUCTIVE "all ___ are ___" "no ___ are ___" "some ___ are ___"
argument based on mathematics
DEDUCTIVE A = B A = C B = C
argument from definition
DEDUCTIVE The conclusion is claimed to depend merely on the DEFINITION of some word or phrase used in the premise or conclusion.
conclusion follows necessarily
DEDUCTIVE The conclusion literally follows the premises.
hypothetical syllogism
DEDUCTIVE syllogism having a conditional statement for one or both premises "if ____ then ____"
disjunctive syllogism
DEDUCTIVE A syllogism having a disjunctive statement for one or both of its premises; A valid argument form/rule of inference: "p or q / not p // q"
deductive indicator words
DEDUCTIVE certainly, definitely, absolutely, conclusively, it is logical that, this entails that
argument from analogy
INDUCTIVE Depends on the existence of a similarity between two things or states of affairs. Object A has characteristics XY Object B has characteristics XYZ Object A probably has Z
causal inference
INDUCTIVE Proceeds from knowledge of cause to a claim about an effect, or from knowledge of an effect to a claim about a cause.
prediction
INDUCTIVE Proceeds from knowledge of some event in the relative PAST to claim about some other event in the relative FUTURE.
generalization
INDUCTIVE Proceeds from the knowledge of a selected sample to claim about the whole group. (Members XYZ of class B have the characteristic A characteristic A is probably a characteristic of class B)
argument based on signs
INDUCTIVE Proceeds from the knowledge of a sign to a claim about the thing or situation that the sign symbolizes (The plaque on the Leaning Tower of Pisa says that Galileo performed experiments there with falling objects. It must be the case that Galileo did indeed perform those experiments there)
argument from authority
INDUCTIVE The conclusion rests on a statement made by some presumed authority or witness. (unbiased expert in the subject under discussion)
conclusion follows only probably
INDUCTIVE Uncertain conclusion follows premises/opposite of necessarily follows
inductive indicator words
INDUCTIVE probably, likely, it is reasonable to assume that, one would expect that, chances are that, odds are that
deductive
argument incorporating the claim that it is impossible for the conclusion to be false given that the premises are true (valid/invalid, sound/unsound)
inductive argument
argument incorporating the claim that it is improbable that the conclusion is false given that the premises are true (weak/strong, cogent/uncogent)