Which term describes moves from specific to general?

Which term describes moves from specific to general?

• A. Deductive reasoning
• B. Inductive reasoning
• C. Chiasmus
• D. Anaphora

Answer: (B)

Inductive reasoning is about moving from specific observations to a general conclusion. When you gather individual examples and infer a broader pattern, you’re using inductive reasoning. For instance, after noting several instances where something occurs, you generalize that it’s likely to happen in other cases as well. It’s important to remember that such conclusions are probabilistic, not guaranteed—new evidence can always challenge the generalization. In contrast, deductive reasoning starts with a general rule and applies it to specific situations, yielding conclusions that must be true if the premises are true. The other terms described are not about the direction of reasoning: chiasmus is a stylistic reversal in parallel phrases, and anaphora is the repetition of a word or phrase at the start of successive clauses.

Inductive reasoning is about moving from specific observations to a general conclusion. When you gather individual examples and infer a broader pattern, you’re using inductive reasoning. For instance, after noting several instances where something occurs, you generalize that it’s likely to happen in other cases as well. It’s important to remember that such conclusions are probabilistic, not guaranteed—new evidence can always challenge the generalization.

In contrast, deductive reasoning starts with a general rule and applies it to specific situations, yielding conclusions that must be true if the premises are true. The other terms described are not about the direction of reasoning: chiasmus is a stylistic reversal in parallel phrases, and anaphora is the repetition of a word or phrase at the start of successive clauses.