# Argument terminology ## What are arguments, premises, ideas, claims, logical reasoning, deduction, induction and abduction > Dubito, ergo cogito, ergo sum. I doubt, therefore I think, therefore I am. — Antoine Léonard Thomas The following argument terminology diagram, taken from [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument) is quite interesting and worth exploring a bit: ![[How to think logically - argument terminology.png]] Based on _arguments_/_premises_/ideas/claims, each having a truth value (i.e., true or false), we try to reach conclusions using _deduction_ or _induction_. When using deduction, the conclusions follow from the premises. When using induction, the conclusions follow from the premises... with some level of certainty. With deduction, our conclusions may be valid or invalid, demonstrating sound or unsound reasoning. With induction, the reasoning may be cogent or uncogent, depending on the level of certainty of our reasoning. I just wanted to mention those because both deduction and induction are super useful "tools" for going from issues to solutions, and it's useful to pay attention to which kind of reasoning we're using while solving problems. Often, we also use _abduction_ to find solutions. Abduction is basically inference to reach the most likely conclusion. We often use abduction while developing because we lack time to verify our conclusions and instead have to use our gut feeling. Another reason to use abduction is also the cheapness of trying things out. More often than not, we can pick a good candidate solution and try it out quickly (i.e., we use empirical evidence). Abduction works better and better as you get more experienced in a specific domain. For instance, once you'll have solved a thousand bugs with a specific technology stack, then your deduction/abduction skills should be much stronger in that domain. Let's take an example: I've used Java and Spring for a number of years. When I start a Spring-based application, and it crashes with an error message, it doesn't take me long to figure out what's going on and make good guesses about potential solutions. Whatever problem you're working on, make sure to evaluate the pros and cons and to test-drive solutions to increase confidence in your reasoning ## References - [Descartes' Error: Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain](https://www.amazon.com/Descartes-Error-Emotion-Reason-Human-ebook/dp/B00AFY2XVK?tag=dsebastien00-20&ref=dsebastien.net) by Antonio R. Damasio - [Logic @ Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logic) - [Logical thinking @ Cleverism](https://www.cleverism.com/skills-and-tools/logical-thinking) - [Logical thinking @ Lifehack](https://www.lifehack.org/594032/logical-thinking) - [Logical reasoning @ Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logical_reasoning) - [Modus ponens @ Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modus_ponens) - [Deductive reasoning @ Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deductive_reasoning) - [Inductive reasoning @ Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inductive_reasoning) - [Abductive reasoning @ Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abductive_reasoning) - [Inference @ Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inference) - [Rule of inference @ Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_inference) - [Argument terminology @ Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument) - [Empirical evidence @ Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empirical_evidence) - [Cogito ergo sum @ Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cogito,_ergo_sum) - [Memory improvement @ Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_improvement) ## Related - [[How to think logically (Article)]]