Inductive reasoning is derived from observations. It involves drawing generalized conclusions from specific observations. 

In the 17th century, inductive thinking became a part of scientific research thanks to Francis Bacon. But, even though he was the first person to formalize the idea of an actual scientific method, he had a little help.

Inductive reasoning differs from deductive reasoning in that the conclusion of a deductive argument is inevitable if the premises are true. On the other hand, if the evidence is strong, the conclusion of an inductive argument is more likely to be accurate. Inductive reasoning begins with specific data or facts followed by a general statement or conclusion. Inductive reasoning, also known as cause-and-effect reasoning or bottom-up reasoning, is a form of propositional logic.

There are three main kinds of inductive reasoning:

• inductive generalization, 
• analogical inference and 
• causal inference.

Example

If you look at a city's population data from the last 15 years, you may notice that the population has grown at the same rate each year. So if you want to guess how many people will be living in the world in five years, you can use your proof or information. It is called inductive thinking.

When introduced to something new, a child's process is an excellent example of inductive reasoning. For instance, if a child owns a dog, she knows that dogs have fur, four legs, and a tail. If a child is introduced to a cat, they may mistake the cat for a dog.

Inductive reasoning logic

Inductive reasoning, or inductive logic, entails drawing a general conclusion from specific observations. Some people consider inductive reasoning "bottom-up" logic because it entails generalizing specific premises into broader ones.

Uses

The term "inductive reasoning" describes reasoning that draws broad conclusions from detailed data, such as patterns. The term "induction" can describe this approach. Premises, drawn mostly from experience or experimental evidence, form the basis of induction. It is the foundation of the scientific method, the framework within which all scientific inquiry is conducted. Researchers could not form hypotheses based on their observations without induction.

The use of inductive reasoning is ubiquitous in modern life. Many of your judgements rely on inductive reasoning. For example, you take a painkiller for your headache because you know from experience that it is effective in curing headaches.

Benefits

Inductive reasoning lets you work with many probabilities, expanding your vision and knowledge despite a dearth of literature. Inductive training starts with an observation and then continues to investigate to test the observation's judgment.

Limitations

The most apparent limitation of the inductive method is that it cannot be utilized to prove anything. In some instances, data may only support, fail to support, or denigrate a generalization. Inductive reasoning begins with observable facts. Inductive reasoning always leads to valid conclusions. A deductive argument is valid and persuasive if its antecedents are valid. Conclusions derived from inductive reasoning are susceptible to being refuted.

Inductive reasoning aims to create a theory, while deductive reasoning seeks to prove one. Thus, inductive reasoning proceeds from particular observations to generalized generalizations.

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