Reasonings

Reasonings is the plural form of reasoning, referring to the processes by which conclusions are drawn or justifications are developed. In common usage, reasoning describes the mental activity involved in argumentation and inference; reasonings can be considered as distinct instances, types, or approaches to this activity across different contexts.

Philosophical discussion distinguishes several core forms. Deductive reasoning involves conclusions that follow necessarily from premises if the argument is valid and the premises true. Inductive reasoning generalizes from specific observations to broader generalizations and is typically probabilistic rather than certain. Abductive reasoning seeks the best explanation for a given set of facts. Other forms include probabilistic, causal, normative, and practical reasoning, which guides action and decision making.

Evaluation of reasonings depends on the form. In deductive reasoning, validity and soundness are key criteria; in inductive and abductive reasoning, strength and cogency are used; in probabilistic reasoning, reliability and posterior probability matter. Formal logic relies on explicit rules of inference, while informal reasoning relies on everyday heuristics, assumptions, and rhetorical devices.

Issues and limitations include cognitive biases, logical fallacies, and bounded rationality, which can affect the quality of reasonings. Improving reasonings often involves critical thinking, evidence appraisal, and careful examination of premises, methods, and potential alternative explanations.

History and relevance: the study of argument structure dates to ancient philosophers such as Aristotle, with later developments in formal logic by Frege and Boole and in modern computational approaches. Reasonings play central roles in science, law, mathematics, artificial intelligence, and everyday decision making.