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Reasoning is the cognitive process of understanding, evaluating, and manipulating information to reach conclusions. It involves a structured approach to thinking that moves from premises or evidence to a logical outcome. This process is fundamental to problem-solving, decision-making, and understanding the world around us.

There are broadly two main types of reasoning: deductive and inductive. Deductive reasoning starts with a general principle or premise that is known to be true and applies it to a specific case to reach a certain conclusion. If the premises are true and the logic is valid, the conclusion must also be true. For example, all humans are mortal (premise 1), Socrates is human (premise 2), therefore Socrates is mortal (conclusion).

Inductive reasoning, on the other hand, moves from specific observations to broader generalizations. It involves identifying patterns and making probable inferences, though the conclusions are not guaranteed to be true, only likely. For instance, observing that every swan seen so far is white leads to the generalization that all swans are white. This generalization can be disproven by the observation of a black swan.

Abductive reasoning is another form, which involves forming the most likely explanation for a given set of observations. It's often used in diagnostics and scientific hypothesis generation. Reasoning is a complex cognitive function that underpins many aspects of human intellect and interaction.