Final answer:
The two types of reasoning/decision-making in science are inductive reasoning, which involves observing particular instances to form general conclusions, and deductive reasoning, which applies general principles to predict specific outcomes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Types of Reasoning/Decision-Making in Science
There are two primary types of reasoning/decision-making used by scientists: inductive reasoning and deductive reasoning. Inductive reasoning involves making observations and forming general conclusions from specific instances. For example, a biologist might observe many brains and discover which part of the brain is active during a certain task, leading to a general rule about brain function. On the other hand, deductive reasoning starts with a general principle or hypothesis and makes predictions about specific cases. For instance, knowing the principle that wings enable flight in birds and insects can lead to predicting that any new flying organism will likely possess some form of wings.
Inductive reasoning is often used in descriptive science, such as when observing natural phenomena without a preconceived hypothesis. Deductive reasoning is commonly employed in hypothesis-based science, which starts with a specific idea or question that can be tested experimentally.
Both types of reasoning are essential components of the scientific method, which includes the following steps: making observations, posing hypotheses, testing these hypotheses, and drawing conclusions. This process is fundamental in advancing scientific understanding and knowledge.