Deductive reasoning

For thoughtful child sponsors

Deductive reasoning is the process of reasoning from the general to the specific. Deductive reasoning is supported by deductive logic, for example:

From general propositions:

All ravens are black birds.
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction

To specific propositions such as:

This bird is a raven, therefore it is black.
This billiard ball will move when struck with a cue.

In contrast to inductive reasoning, the conclusions of deductive reasoning are as valid as the initial assumption.

Deductive reasoning was first described by the ancient Greek philosophers such as Aristotle.