Line of Reasoning

Have you ever had to explain your thinking or give reasons for your ideas? Well, that's called a line of reasoning! It's a way of thinking about something and explaining why you believe what you do.

When you have a line of reasoning, you have one or more claims that you support with evidence. Let's say you're arguing with a friend about whether pineapple belongs on pizza. Your claim is that pineapple on pizza tastes good, and your evidence is that you've tried it before and liked it.

Sometimes, a line of reasoning is short and simple, like in the pineapple example. But other times, it can be longer and more complicated. It all depends on the purpose of the argument. For example, if you want to show that one thing causes another, you might start by defining the issue, then make your claim, give reasons, and explain why they matter.

The important thing is to understand your own line of reasoning and be able to explain it to others. It helps you think more logically and make stronger arguments. 

sources








If you find this confusing, try circles of reasoning

 Common reasoning patterns are fundamental approaches used to draw conclusions or make sense of information. Here are four common reasoning patterns:

Deductive Reasoning

 Deductive reasoning is a top-down approach in which you start with a general premise or statement and then make specific conclusions based on that premise.

Example:

Premise 1: All humans are mortal.

Premise 2: Socrates is a human.

Conclusion: Therefore, Socrates is mortal.

Deductive reasoning is characterized by the certainty of the conclusion if the premises are true. It is commonly used in mathematics and formal logic.


Inductive Reasoning

Definition: Inductive reasoning is a bottom-up approach where you start with specific observations and then generalize to create a broader understanding or theory.

Example:

Observation 1: The sun has risen every day for as long as we can remember.

Observation 2: The sun has risen again today.

Generalization: Therefore, the sun will rise tomorrow.

Inductive reasoning is used in scientific research, where repeated observations lead to the formulation of hypotheses and theories.


Causal Reasoning

Definition: Causal reasoning seeks to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between events or factors.

Example:

Claim: Increased consumption of sugary beverages is a cause of obesity.

Evidence: Studies have shown a positive correlation between sugary beverage consumption and obesity rates.

Conclusion: Therefore, sugary beverages may be a contributing cause of obesity.

Causal reasoning is important in various fields, such as epidemiology, sociology, and policy analysis, as it helps identify the factors that influence specific outcomes.


Analogic or Comparative Reasoning

Definition: Analogic reasoning involves drawing parallels or making comparisons between two or more situations, objects, or concepts to understand their similarities or differences.

Example:

Comparison: Teaching is like gardening.

Explanation: Just as a gardener nurtures and tends to plants to help them grow, a teacher provides guidance and support to students to facilitate their intellectual development.

Analogic reasoning helps make complex ideas more accessible by drawing comparisons to familiar concepts or situations. It is frequently used in literature, rhetoric, and persuasive writing.


These reasoning patterns are not mutually exclusive, and they can be used together or in various combinations to build logical arguments, solve problems, or analyze information in different contexts. Each pattern has its strengths and weaknesses, and the choice of which one to use often depends on the specific situation and the type of reasoning required.


Abductive Reasoning: Abductive reasoning is used when you have incomplete information, and you make the best possible inference or explanation based on the available evidence. It's often used in scientific and detective work to generate hypotheses. For example:

Evidence: The ground is wet, and there are dark clouds in the sky.

Abductive Conclusion: It probably rained recently.


Reasoning by Analogy: This type of reasoning involves drawing parallels between two situations to support a conclusion. It assumes that if two situations are alike in certain respects, they are likely to be alike in other respects as well. For example:

Situation A: People who exercise regularly tend to be healthier.

Situation B: John exercises regularly.

Conclusion: Therefore, John is likely to be healthier.