What type of reasoning involves general principles to reach a specific conclusion?

Deductive reasoning is the process of using general principles or established facts to draw specific conclusions. This type of reasoning follows a logical structure where if the premises are true, the conclusion must also be true. For instance, if we know that all humans are mortal (a general principle) and that Socrates is a human (a specific case), we can deduce that Socrates is mortal.

The strength of deductive reasoning lies in its ability to provide definitive conclusions based on universal truths. It is often contrasted with other forms of reasoning. Inductive reasoning, for example, involves drawing general conclusions based on specific observations, and results can vary in certainty. Abductive reasoning focuses on forming the best possible explanation for observations, which may not always lead to concrete conclusions. Analogical reasoning uses comparisons between similar situations to draw conclusions, but it does not strictly rely on established general principles in the same definitive manner as deductive reasoning.