Logic

Foundation Reasoning can be considered as akin to Inductive Logic, wherein reasoning proceeds from the particular to the general, or the individual to the universal. Particulars represent the pre-existent state of evidence as individual items, facts, premises or reasons. Particulars as individual bits of evidence are inducted into a collection of grounds from which general conclusions are drawn. An example might be that from a vantage point near the entry way to a party, all the various styles, colors and fashions of the party goers could be seen as they entered the affair. After everyone had arrived it could be concluded as a generality, from the evidence of the particulars, that all the attendees were male. Another example concerning reasoning alone might be that using the particular premises that birds, moths and beetles can fly, and each of these entities have wings, the general conclusion might be reached that most creatures with wings can fly.

Authority Reasoning is said to be akin to Deductive Logic which means to reason from the general to the particular or from the universal to the individual. The generality consists in regularities such as classes, propositions, circumstance or principles which are regular, stable, consistent or constant, such as most dogs have a similarities of appearance in common, or water on its own almost always runs down hill. If all cats are blue then any individual cat should be blue also. If one encounters a stranger and is not sure how to deal with them, one may reason from the general to the specific. One may compare this person to classifications and stereotypes. By comparing this particular individual, in terms of various traits such as dress, accent, demeanor or body language to the general category of information one has, one may make a probable determination concerning the character of this individual.

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