Which term best matches the description Uses data, general to specific opposite to inductive?

Which term best matches the description Uses data, general to specific opposite to inductive?

• A. Inductive Reasoning
• B. Deductive Reasoning
• C. Abductive Reasoning
• D. Known Knowns

Answer: (B)

Deductive reasoning. It moves from a general rule or principle to a specific conclusion, using premises to deduce what must be true for a particular case. This aligns with thinking “from general to specific” and using data (premises) to reach a definite conclusion. For example, if every member of a group has a property, and a particular member is part of that group, that member must have that property. This is different from inductive reasoning, which goes from specific observations to a general claim. Abductive reasoning looks for the best explanation of the data, and “Known Knowns” is not a formal reasoning method.

Deductive reasoning. It moves from a general rule or principle to a specific conclusion, using premises to deduce what must be true for a particular case. This aligns with thinking “from general to specific” and using data (premises) to reach a definite conclusion. For example, if every member of a group has a property, and a particular member is part of that group, that member must have that property. This is different from inductive reasoning, which goes from specific observations to a general claim. Abductive reasoning looks for the best explanation of the data, and “Known Knowns” is not a formal reasoning method.