reasoning wiki

Arguments

• argument types

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  deductive, inductive, abductive, and defeasible reasoning patterns

  [arguments][deductive][inductive][abductive][defeasible]+2 more

• abductive arguments

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  inference to the best explanation - reasoning from observations to hypotheses

  [abductive][explanation][hypothesis][inference][best-explanation]+1 more

• deductive arguments

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  necessary consequence reasoning - when premises guarantee conclusions

  [deductive][validity][soundness][necessary][monotonic]+1 more

• defeasible arguments

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  non-monotonic reasoning - rational inferences that can be overturned by new information

  [defeasible][non-monotonic][default-logic][presumptive][revisable]+1 more

• inductive arguments

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  probabilistic support reasoning - from specific observations to general conclusions

  [inductive][probability][generalization][strength][cogency]+1 more

Explained Simply

• logic, explained simply

  Jun 21, 2026 • updated

  a friendly on-ramp to reasoning and logic for curious minds (around ages 11+): every idea taught as a story plus a game you can try

  [logic][reasoning][beginners][middle-school][critical-thinking]+1 more

• if-then: the promise rule

  Jun 21, 2026 • updated

  implication explained simply: an "if… then…" is a promise, and there is exactly one way to break it

  [logic][implication][if-then][beginners][middle-school]+1 more

• the straw man trick

  Jun 21, 2026 • updated

  the straw man fallacy explained simply: swapping a real point for a sillier fake one that is easy to knock down

  [logic][fallacy][straw-man][beginners][middle-school]+2 more

Fallacies

• fallacies

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  common reasoning errors, formal and informal fallacies, and how to identify and avoid them

  [fallacies][logic][reasoning][errors][formal]+2 more

• ad hominem

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  attacking the person making an argument rather than addressing the argument itself

  [ad-hominem][personal-attack][fallacy-of-relevance][informal-fallacy][debate]+1 more

• false dilemma

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  presenting only two options when more alternatives exist, creating artificial either/or choices

  [false-dilemma][false-dichotomy][either-or][black-white-thinking][fallacy-of-presumption]+1 more

• formal fallacies

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  structural errors in logic that make arguments invalid regardless of content

  [formal-fallacies][logic][validity][invalid-forms][structure]+1 more

• informal fallacies

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  content and context errors in reasoning that undermine arguments through irrelevant, inadequate, or misleading information

  [informal-fallacies][reasoning][content-errors][context][relevance]+2 more

• straw man

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  misrepresenting someones argument to make it easier to attack and defeat

  [straw-man][misrepresentation][fallacy-of-relevance][informal-fallacy][debate]+1 more

• modality and uncertainty

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  necessity, possibility, knowledge, belief, obligation, and probabilistic measures in reasoning systems

  [modality][alethic][epistemic][deontic][uncertainty]+3 more

• reasoning ontology overview

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  formal rdf/owl specification for representing arguments, inference rules, and reasoning structures

  [ontology][rdf][owl][semantic-web][knowledge-representation]+1 more

• reasoning frameworks

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  abstract argumentation systems for modeling debate, conflict resolution, and automated reasoning

  [argumentation][frameworks][dung][attack-relations][defeat]+2 more

• complete study guide to reasoning and logic

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  structured learning paths and comprehensive guide to formal logic, reasoning patterns, argumentation theory, and critical thinking

  [logic][reasoning][study-guide][learning-paths][critical-thinking]+3 more

Inference Rules

• inference rules

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  formal rules of logical inference - the valid patterns for deriving conclusions from premises

  [logic][inference][deduction][modus-ponens][modus-tollens]+1 more

• disjunctive syllogism

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  elimination by negation - reasoning by eliminating alternatives in either/or situations

  [logic][inference][disjunction][elimination][either-or]+1 more

• hypothetical syllogism

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  chain rule - transitivity of implication for building logical chains of reasoning

  [logic][inference][transitivity][chain-rule][conditional]+1 more

• modus ponens

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  affirming the antecedent - the fundamental inference rule of conditional reasoning

  [logic][inference][deduction][conditional][implication]+1 more

• modus tollens

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  denying the consequent - reasoning backwards from failed outcomes to eliminate possibilities

  [logic][inference][deduction][contrapositive][falsification]+1 more

Logical Constructs

• choosing a logical operator

  Aug 15, 2025 • updated

  a practical guide and cheat sheet for selecting the right logical operator based on your desired outcome

  [logic][operators][cheat-sheet][decision-tree][programming-logic]+1 more

• logical constructs

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  fundamental logical operations and connectives that form the building blocks of formal reasoning

  [logic][operators][connectives][boolean][truth-tables]+1 more

• biconditional (if and only if)

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  logical equivalence operator that is true when both statements have the same truth value

  [logic][biconditional][iff][equivalence][bidirectional]+1 more

• conjunction (and)

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  logical and operator that is true only when all operands are true

  [logic][conjunction][and][binary-operator][truth-table]

• disjunction (or)

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  logical or operator that is true when at least one operand is true

  [logic][disjunction][or][binary-operator][inclusive-or]+1 more

• implication (if-then)

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  logical conditional operator expressing that if the antecedent is true, then the consequent must be true

  [logic][implication][conditional][if-then][material-conditional]+1 more

• negation (not)

  Aug 12, 2025 • updated

  logical not operator that inverts the truth value of a statement

  [logic][negation][not][unary-operator][complement]+1 more