Deductive Reasoning and Decision Making

Flashcards created from lecture notes on deductive reasoning and decision making, focusing on definitions, examples, and key concepts.

What does deductive reasoning allow us to do?

Decide whether specific premises allow you to draw a particular conclusion based on the principles of logic.

What is the definition of decision making?

Assessing and choosing among several alternatives.

What is conditional reasoning?

It's a type of reasoning that tells us about the relationship between conditions, often structured as 'if… then…'; it can be judged as valid or invalid.

What is a syllogism in deductive reasoning?

Two statements that are assumed to be true, plus a conclusion, which is judged as valid, invalid, or indeterminate.

What is an example of affirming the antecedent?

If it rains, then the ground is wet. It is raining; therefore, the ground is wet.

What is the fallacy of affirming the consequent?

It occurs when one assumes that if the 'then…' part of the statement is true, the 'if…' part must also be true, leading to an invalid conclusion.

What does denying the antecedent result in?

It leads to an invalid conclusion, stating that if the 'if…' part is false, the 'then…' part must also be false.

What does denying the consequent mean?

It states that if the 'then…' part of the statement is false, the 'if…' part must also be true; this reasoning leads to a valid conclusion.

What is the belief-bias effect?

It occurs when people make judgments based on prior beliefs and knowledge rather than on the rules of logic, leading to errors.

What is the confirmation bias in deductive reasoning?

The tendency for people to prefer confirming a hypothesis rather than attempting to disprove it.