Making Inference in Everyday Life

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Questions and Answers

What is the main purpose of making inferences?

To memorize facts without understanding

To avoid thinking critically

To repeat information verbatim

To draw conclusions based on evidence (correct)

Which of the following best describes deductive reasoning?

Focuses on developing a hypothesis based on intuition

Begins with specific observations to form broader conclusions

Involves guessing possible outcomes without evidence

Starts with general premises to reach a specific conclusion (correct)

Which step is NOT part of the process of making an inference?

Ignoring related details (correct)

Reading the text

Looking for patterns or relationships

Asking the question

What type of reasoning seeks the most plausible explanation for a finding?

Abductive reasoning Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between logical opposition and contradiction?

Both statements cannot both be true at the same time Signup and view all the answers

Which describes subcontrariety?

Two statements can both be true but not both untrue Signup and view all the answers

In making an inference, what is primarily used alongside what you read?

Past knowledge Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following represents inductive reasoning?

Generalizing from specific data Signup and view all the answers

Inference is the process of drawing conclusions based on available ______ or information.

evidence Signup and view all the answers

Using context and past knowledge, we infer the meaning of words and ______.

phrases Signup and view all the answers

Deductive reasoning starts with general premises and works down to a specific ______ conclusion.

logical Signup and view all the answers

Inductive reasoning begins with certain data or observations and uses them to make a ______ inference.

general Signup and view all the answers

Logical opposition refers to the connection between two propositions that cannot both be ______ at the same time.

true Signup and view all the answers

If two statements can both be true but not both ______, they are considered subcontrary.

untrue Signup and view all the answers

Abductive reasoning seeks the most plausible and straightforward ______ for a finding.

explanation Signup and view all the answers

In making an inference, we combine what I ______ and what I know to form our conclusion.

read Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Inference

Inference is the process of drawing conclusions based on available evidence or information.
It's about figuring out what you don't know by using what you already know.
Inference is used in daily life for reading, problem-solving, decision-making.

Making Inference

There are 5 steps to making an inference:
- Read the text
- Ask a question
- List related details
- Look for patterns or relationships
- Determine what they mean.
Inference is basically a combination of what you read/saw + what you know = your inference

Kinds of Inference

Deductive reasoning - Starts with general premises and works its way down to a specific and particular logical conclusion.
Inductive reasoning - Begins with certain data or observations and uses them to make a general inference. The conclusion is probably correct, but not certain.
Abductive reasoning - Seeks for the most plausible and straightforward explanation for a finding.

Logical Opposition

Logical opposition refers to the connection between two propositions or assertions that cannot both be true at the same time.

Types of Opposition

Contradiction - Two statements cannot both be true and both be false
- "The sky is blue" and "The sky is not blue" are contradictory.
Contrariety - Two propositions can both be untrue, but they cannot both be true.
- "No cats are black" and "All cats are black" are contrary.
Subcontrariety - Two statements can both be true but not both untrue.
- "Some cats are black" and "Some cats are not black" are subcontrary.

Inference

Inference is the process of drawing conclusions based on evidence or information.
It's about figuring out what you don't know by using what you already know.
We use inference in various situations, including reading, problem-solving, and decision-making.

Five Steps of Making Inference

Read the text carefully.
Ask the question you want to answer.
List related details from the text.
Look for patterns or relationships among the details.
Determine what the patterns or relationships mean and draw a conclusion.

Kinds of Inference

Deductive reasoning: Start with general premises and work towards a specific conclusion.
Inductive Reasoning: Start with specific observations or data and make a general inference.
Abductive reasoning: Seek the most plausible explanation for a finding.

Logical Opposition

Logical opposition is about the relationship between two propositions that cannot both be true simultaneously.
Contradiction: Two statements that cannot be both true and both false. Example: "The sky is blue" and "The sky is not blue".
Contrariety: Two propositions that cannot both be true but can both be false. Example: "No cats are black" and "All cats are black."
Subcontrariety: Two propositions that can both be true but cannot both be false. Example: "Some cats are black" and "Some cats are not black."

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Description

This quiz explores the concept of inference, emphasizing its importance in daily life such as reading and decision-making. It covers the steps involved in making an inference and distinguishes between different kinds of inference, including deductive, inductive, and abductive reasoning.