BLOG # 5 - Inductive and Deductive Arguments

For the final blog we are looking at deductive and inductive arguments

 

Deductive arguments are arguments where the goal (to achieve valid arguments) is to provide conclusive evidence for the conclusion - The nature of the inferential claim is such that it is impossible for the premises to be true and that conclusion false (Valid or Invalid)

 

Example:

 

Premises: All snails eat lettuce

Premises: This thing is a snail

Conclusion: This thing eats lettuce

Inductive arguments are arguments where the goal (to achieve strong & reliable beliefs) is to provide the best available evidence for the conclusion - The nature of the inferential claim is such that it is unlikely that the premises are true and the conclusion false (Strong or Weak)

 

Example:

Premise: This snail eats lettuce

Premise: This snail eats lettuce

Premise: This one too etc

Conclusion: All snails eat lettuce. 

Article 1

A suspected terrorist has tried to kill a French soldier in a copycat type attack to the murder of the serviceman in Woolwich a week earlier.  Article by Peter Allen published in the daily mail on May 26^th 2013, 10:56am. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2331141/Woolwich-murder-Suspected-terrorist-tried-kill-French-soldier-copycat-attack-caught-security-camera-footage-removing-robes.html  

Inductive Reasoning: 

Premise:       2 suspected radical Islamic men stabbed a serviceman in the throat in a very public place in Woolwich, London

Premise:       a suspected radical Islamic man stabbed a French soldier in the throat in a public place in Paris

Conclusion: Therefore the second attack was a copycat attack and was inspired by the first attack.

The inductive reasoning utilised above would give rise to a valid yet weak argument.

Article 2 

The attack of a serviceman in Woolwich has caused an increase in anti-Muslim incidents.  Article by the Huffington Post UK published on May 25^th 2013, 9:10am.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/05/25/woolwich-attack-provokes-sharp-increase-in-incidents_n_3335042.html

 

Deductive Reasoning: 

Premise:       The attack on the London serviceman by suspected Islamic terrorists happened

Premise:       State-funded helpline recorded a huge increase in anti-Muslim incidents

Premise:       150 incidents over a 48 hour period occurred; compared to the average 6 – 8 per day since attack

Conclusion: Therefore the murder of the serviceman by the suspected Islamic terrorist has caused a spike in the number of anti-Muslim incidents occurring.  

The deductive reasoning utilised above would give rise to a valid conclusion.