Question

Which type of reasoning is primarily used in the following arguments? Please indicate whether each argument relies on inductive or deductive reasoning by selecting the appropriate letter:

A. The sun has risen in the east every day for as long as we can remember, so it will rise in the east tomorrow.

B. All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.

C. Every swan I've seen is white, so all swans must be white.

D. There's a 70% chance of rain tomorrow because the weather forecast predicts it.

E. These three metals expand when heated. Therefore, all metals must expand when heated.

F. Many students in this class have excelled in the previous exams, so it's likely that the majority of students will excel in the final exam.

Please select the letter "I" for inductive reasoning or "D" for deductive reasoning for each argument.

Answer 1

Arguments A, C, D, E, and F use inductive reasoning, as they move from specific observations to broader generalizations. Argument B uses deductive reasoning, as it applies a general statement to a specific case to reach a logical conclusion. The correct options are Inductive for A, C, D, E, and F, and Deductive for B.

Step-by-step explanation:

When assessing arguments, it's crucial to distinguish whether they use deductive or inductive reasoning. Understanding the differences between these two forms of reasoning is essential in many disciplines, including philosophy and the sciences.

Inductive reasoning moves from specific observations to broader generalizations and conclusions. It essentially makes predictions based on past data or experiences. On the other hand, deductive reasoning starts with a general statement or hypothesis and examines the possibilities to reach a logical conclusion about specifics.

Here are the types of reasoning used in the listed arguments:

• A. The sun has risen in the east every day for as long as we can remember, so it will rise in the east tomorrow. - Inductive
• B. All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is mortal. - Deductive
• C. Every swan I've seen is white, so all swans must be white. - Inductive
• D. There's a 70% chance of rain tomorrow because the weather forecast predicts it. - Inductive
• E. These three metals expand when heated. Therefore, all metals must expand when heated. - Inductive
• F. Many students in this class have excelled in the previous exams, so it's likely that the majority of students will excel in the final exam. - Inductive

The correct option for each argument is:

1. A. Inductive (I)
2. B. Deductive (D)
3. C. Inductive (I)
4. D. Inductive (I)
5. E. Inductive (I)
6. F. Inductive (I)