Deductive Reasoning

Published: | Updated: March 6, 2019

Definition - What does Deductive Reasoning mean?

Deductive reasoning involves taking a set of data and using logical reasoning to come to a conclusion about multiple premises that are, generally, assumed to be true. In deductive reasoning there are no assumptions. Deductive reason starts from a general case and narrows down to a specific instance, and is often referred to as top-down logic.

Safeopedia explains Deductive Reasoning

The opposite of deductive reasoning is inductive reasoning. Inductive reasoning involves looking for a pattern, then generalizing. You extrapolate the information that you are supplied with. This involves some assumptions that may or may not be true, while deductive reasoning relies on premises that are considered to be facts. Inductive reasoning is often used to make predictions about the future on the basis of observable trends, while deductive reasoning is often used in determining the root cause of an occurrence. An example of deductive reasoning can be seen in the use of a root cause analysis in accident investigations.

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