If we see dark clouds in the sky, we infer that it is likely to rain. If we hear the sound of laughter behind a closed door, we infer that behind that door there is either a person or a TV playing something comical.
The experience of seeing the dark clouds and of hearing the sound of laughter is an instance of the grounds that lead us to the conclusion about the likelihood of rain and about a person or device behind the door.
The process of inference connects the grounds to the conclusion. In some cases, the grounds of inference and the steps leading from the grounds to the conclusion can be expressed (either verbally or using some other symbolic system) such that someone else can scrutinize the process and make an assessment is a quality. For instance, given the information that Zeno is a spider, we can infer that Zeno has eight legs. If we are asked to express it verbally, we may do so as follows: Zeno is a spider. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that Zeno has eight legs.
If we are asked how exactly the conclusion of Zeno having eight legs follows from Zeno being a spider, we might flesh out our reasoning as follows: Zeno is a spider. All spiders have eight legs. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that Zeno has eight legs.
Likewise, given the information that Jit’s room is 10 ft wide and 15 ft long, it is reasonable to conclude that the area of the room is 150 sq ft. We can articulate the process of inference in a combination of words and numbers as follows: Width of Jit’s room = 10 ft, Length of Jit’s room = 15 ft. Hence, the area of Jit’s room = 150 sq.ft
Reasoning is a form of inference that can be expressed in words or other symbols such that the legitimacy of the process can be evaluated if needed. Implicit in what we have said above is the idea that not all forms of inference can be overtly expressed. Suppose you walk into an auditorium with a friend, look around at the seated people, and tell your friend, “There seems to almost a hundred people here.” You didn’t actually count the number of people and arrive at this conclusion, instead, you made in inference, based on your visual experience. If your friend challenged you to express the steps of your inference in words or numbers, you may not be in a position to do so.
Reasoning is an integral component of the various aspects of academic inquiry, including
i) looking for answers/solutions to questions/problems (methodology);
ii) justifying/proving our answers/solutions (justification); and
iii) evaluating the merit of the answers/solutions (critical thinking).
Try the following exercises to determine your reasoning skills.