Understanding the Deductive Method
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The deductive method is a reasoning strategy used to deduce conclusions.
logics based on a series of premises or principles.
In this sense, it is a process of thought that goes from the general (laws or principles) to the specific.
particular (specific phenomena or concrete facts).
According to the deductive method, the conclusion is found within the premises themselves referred to or, in other words,
In other words, the conclusion is a consequence of these.
Is part of a single premise that is not contrasted with others around it. This premise is
consider an axiom. An axiom is the starting point of a scientific theory whose truth is
shared by the entire academic community. An example of this is the law of gravity: that everyone
the objects falling to the ground is an indisputable axiom.
It is a method or tool aimed at arriving at accurate conclusions about a
fact.
Part of itgeneralto the most specific.
The premises are the ones that define the observed.
The facts are subordinated to the premises.
The premises can be unique or varied, and they can interact.
Among the instruments he uses are summaries, maps, diagrams, among others.
What is the purpose of the deductive method?
Being a method based on the application of premises to particular facts, the method
deduction finds itsutlityin the area of application and testing ofhypothesisIt is about
of one of the most used methods in scientific research when it comes to corroborating
premises or hypotheses in concrete facts or phenomena.
Typically, the origins of the deductive method are traced back to the times of
Ancient Greece. Its main precursor is Aristotle, who made use of syllogisms and
other tools as the main means of access to knowledge. But, in the same way, it
they find their origins in Descartes, Leibniz, and Spinoza, who are seen as
continuers.
Steps to apply the deductive method
To use this method, the following steps must be followed:
Define the first premise
To establish the first premise, one must start with observation. That is, first one observes.
a universal situation or fact that allows for the construction of the premise that will guide the rest
of thedeductive reasoningtvo.
For example: Pedro observed that theplantsthey have roots; therefore, their first premise will be
All plants have roots.
2. Define the second premise
By observing a fact and designating the first premise, another premise must be constructed that will serve as
comparison with the first one that will allow us to reach a logical conclusion.
According to the previous example, the process would be as follows: After observing
that all plants have leaves and roots, Pedro realized that his cactus has roots. For
Hello, Pedro established the following premises:
Premise 1: All plants have roots.
Premise 2: My cactus has roots.
From the comparison of both premises, Pedro will be able to reach a logical conclusion.
3. Establish the conclusion
After developing the two premises, a relevant conclusion is established.
Conclusion is always logical, but it is not necessarily correct in all cases.
Finally, Pedro's deductive method would be as follows:
Premise 1: All plants have roots.
Premise 2: My cactus has roots.
Conclusion: my cactus is a plant.
As can be seen, Pedro started from a general law (all plants) to analyze a fact.
particular (your cactus). Although this method is widely used by researchers and scientists,
It is also used by all people in their daily lives, even unconsciously.
Característcas del método deductvo
Part of the general to reach a particular fact
The deductive method begins its reasoning from a universal notion or law, that is to say that
applies to all things or most of them. It should not be confused with theinductive methodtvo, the
which works in the opposite way, starting from the particular to reach the general.
This is observed in the following deductive reasoning:
All living beings eventually die.
The human being is a living being.
The human eventually dies.
It is used in different aspects of life.
The deductive method is used by researchers and scientists from all fields, especially in
those disciplines that require observation. However, deductive reasoning does not
It is exclusive to the academic world, as many people in daily life also use it.
times automatically.
It works based on logic
Logic is a science that analyzes the structure of human thought and seeks to establish
principles or laws that allow for the attainment of truths. For this reason, it is said that the method
deduction uses logic to carry out its reasoning, since its purpose is to obtain
valid conclusions that can become truths.
It is not based on experimentation
This method is theoretical. Therefore, it does not base its studies on experiments or other actions that
have the laboratory as a setting.
It is a methodology with a much more argumentative and predictive approach, with a special focus on
application in the so-called formal sciences, those disciplines whose foundational knowledge is
rational and abstract.
It is systemic
The deductive method is carried out through a series of defined and well-established processes.
structured. This order in application is essential to obtain useful results.
Importance of the deductive method
Its importance or significance lies in two essential points:
It facilitates the description of the researched through hypotheses, theories or premises by
unquestionable consensus. In such a way, its applicability to cases can be detected.
particular and concrete phenomena.
Being a method that confronts the premises against each other, from this confrontation or
In a meeting, new premises can be deduced that did not exist or were not known before.
This, in turn, enriches the set of premises and facilitates new processes of
research.