Inductive Reasoning
An inductive reasoning process involves inferring a general conclusion from observations made within the context of a specific situation. Inductive reasoning is sometimes referred to as “bottom-up” logic because it involves broadening specific premises into broader generalizations. We use inductive reasoning every day to understand the world around us. The scientific method is also based on inductive reasoning: scientists gather data through observation and experiment, develop hypotheses based on the data, and then test those hypotheses. Inductive inference is that middle step-making hypotheses-and they would not have gotten very far without it. Furthermore, inductive arguments are the most common type of reasoning in academic life, despite the risk of weak conclusions.