ABDUCTION

Abductive Reasoning

 

Upon observing, when the data are very straightforward or obvious you would assume the simplest and most likely conclusion. This predicts the most likely answer but does not guarantee the conclusion.

 

For an example:

 If you walk into a room with windows opened and notice papers and documents scattered all across the floor.

 

You could assume that the wind from the window was the reason why the papers were all over the floor.

 

Consider another example:

From the driver's front view, you can see that the construction truck is blocking the road ahead while you are seated on your school bus and notice the bus driver stopping the bus.

 

You would assume that the bus driver would begin reversing the bus at that point, which would be the obvious next move.

 

This could be mistaken for inductive reasoning. To distinguish between the two, you should be aware that abductive reasoning begins with a small number of observations of insufficient data and develops a simple theory for the conclusion.

On the other hand, inductive reasoning would involve an in-depth analysis of the incomplete data and form a theory for conclusion.

 

In deduction, you use this reasoning when you conclude from the given data which is obvious through common sense or logic.