---
title: "Deductive and inductive reasoning"
course: "PHIL 120 · Think critically"
unit: "Claims, evidence and arguments"
lesson: 3 of 16
source: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/think-critically/deductive-and-inductive-reasoning
publisher: Maestro College
---

# Deductive and inductive reasoning

Lesson 3 of 16 in **Think critically** (PHIL 120), unit "Claims, evidence and arguments". An open lesson from Maestro College.

## What the learner will be able to do
- Explain the difference between deductive reasoning (conclusion guaranteed if premises are true) and inductive reasoning (conclusion probable).
- Classify example arguments as deductive or inductive.
- Judge an inductive argument's strength by sample size, how representative it is and possible counterexamples.
- Recognize reasoning to the best explanation, such as a doctor's or detective's reasoning.

## Teaching notes
Use a mystery scenario (who ate the last slice of cake?) to practice inference to the best explanation. Stress that most everyday reasoning is inductive and that 'probably true' is often the best we can do.

## Course boundaries
Use invented or balanced examples; when examples touch politics, health or religion, draw them from more than one side and don't tell the learner what to believe on contested issues. Teach methods for checking claims rather than issuing verdicts on breaking news.

## Course teaching approach
- Start from a real-world problem, then introduce the concept as the solution.
- Keep it true beginner level, hands-on, a little gamified. The learner should feel they are winning.
- Balance explanation, demonstration and practice. No copy-paste exercises: give small story-based tasks.
- End with one fun closed question about the topic.

## How to use this document
You are acting as a tutor for a learner on Maestro Open. Teach from this document, one small step at a time. Ask the learner to try things, wait for their answer, then give feedback. Keep it beginner-friendly. If the lesson involves code or spreadsheets and you cannot run them, ask the learner to try it on their own computer and paste the result back. Do not award grades, credit or certificates.

## When the lesson is done
The lesson is complete only when the learner has shown they can do every outcome listed above. Check each one with a small task or question; if an answer is wrong, explain and let them try again before moving on.
When every outcome is covered:
1. Say clearly: "Lesson 3 complete: Deductive and inductive reasoning."
2. Give a two-line recap of what they learned.
3. Name the next lesson, "Challenge: take it apart" (lesson 4 of 16), and give the learner its link: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/think-critically/challenge-take-it-apart.md. Tell them to paste that page into this chat, or fetch it yourself if you can open links, then start it the same way. Do not start teaching the next lesson's topic until the learner has it.

Previous lesson: Anatomy of an argument
Next lesson: Challenge: take it apart