In your assigned readings, you learned how inductive and deductive reasoning are used to

answer questions about life. Briefly compare and contrast each type of reasoning as they apply to
biological investigation. Which, if any, type of reasoning is best used to establish cause and
effect relationships? Explain your rationale using one or more examples.
Be sure to use in text citation and provide references for your sources. While not required for
this discussion, you may use outside resources. Any materials cited in this course should be
referenced using the APA style guidelines. Failure to include both is considered plagiarism and
will cause you to receive a zero grade. Purdue Universitys Online Writing LAB (OWL) is a
free website that provides excellent information and resources for understanding and using
the APA format and style. The OWL website can be accessed
here: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
After posting your discussion on the forum, briefly comment in a constructive manner to at
least three of your peer's postings. All responses need to be at least 3 sentences long. In your
comments, you may for instance refer to how your own experience supports/contradicts the
opinions developed by your peers. You may also ask for more detailed examples supporting these
opinions, if you think they are too general or not rooted enough in personal experience. In
particular, make sure that the examples provided are properly referenced and that you are able to
access them. Overall, your comments should contribute positively to the conversation by
broadening or clarifying it.

Inductive reasoning deductive reasoning

1. It is Bottom up approach, start with
facts, details, small observation or
question and move to a general
conclusion.
2. Conclusion is more general than the
information the premises provide.
3. It is reached by generalizing the
premises information.
4. If the premises are true, the conclusion
provably true. It is probabilistic. It
can be strong or weak. It can be false.
5. It is fast and easy used often in
everyday life.
1. It is top down approach, start with a
general statements, hypothesis, or
theory move to a conclusion based on
evidence.
2. Conclusion is more specific than the
information the premises provide.
3. It is reached directly by applying
logical rules to the premises.
4. If all premises are true and clear, the
conclusion must be true.
5. More difficult to use, mainly in logical
problems. One needs facts that are
definitely true.

Deductive reasoning is best used to establish cause and effect relationships because Deductive
reasoning gives true conclusion when all premises are true and clear where Inductive reasoning
is probabilistic which can also give false conclusion. Here is a classic example of a deductive
argument:
1. All men are mortal.
2. Xan is a man.
3. Therefore, Xan is mortal.

The first premise states that all objects classified as men have the attribute mortal. The
second premise states that Xan is classified as a mana member of the class or group of
men. The conclusion then states that Xan must be mortal . Here both premises are true, the
terms are clear, then the conclusion of the argument is true.

Here is an example of an Inductive reasoning:

All of life forms depends on water for its existence. Therefore, if a new life form will discovered,
it will probably depend on liquid water to exist.
This conclusion is probabilistic, the conclusion can be false, and it is possible that in the future a
life form that does not require water for existence can be discovered. So in my view Deductive
reasoning is best used to establish cause and effect relationships which always gives true
statement of conclusion when all premise are true.

Reference: OpenStax College (2013) Biology. Retrieved from

https://cnx.org/content/col11448/1.9