Explore

Think Again III: How to Reason Inductively

Approx. 24 hours to complete

Save Course

Go to Course

Course Summary

Learn how to improve your inductive reasoning skills with this course. Inductive reasoning is a crucial skill in fields such as science, law, and business. This course will teach you the basics of inductive reasoning and how to apply it in various contexts.

Key Learning Points

Understand the basics of inductive reasoning and how it differs from deductive reasoning
Learn how to apply inductive reasoning in various fields such as science, law, and business
Improve your critical thinking and problem-solving skills

Learning Outcomes

Understand the basics of inductive reasoning
Apply inductive reasoning in various fields
Improve critical thinking and problem-solving skills

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

No prior knowledge of inductive reasoning required
Basic understanding of critical thinking and problem-solving

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Online
Self-paced
Video lectures
Quizzes

Similar Courses

Deductive Reasoning
Logic and Reasoning

Related Education Paths

Notable People in This Field

Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Daniel Kahneman

Related Books

Description

Want to solve a murder mystery? What caused your computer to fail? Who can you trust in your everyday life? In this course, you will learn how to analyze and assess five common forms of inductive arguments: generalizations from samples, applications of generalizations, inference to the best explanation, arguments from analogy, and causal reasoning. The course closes by showing how you can use probability to help make decisions of all sorts.

Suggested Readings Students who want more detailed explanations or additional exercises or who want to explore these topics in more depth should consult Understanding Arguments: An Introduction to Informal Logic, Ninth Edition, Concise, Chapters 8-12, by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong and Robert Fogelin. Course Format Each week will be divided into multiple video segments that can be viewed separately or in groups. There will be short ungraded quizzes after each segment (to check comprehension) and a longer graded quiz at the end of the course.

Outline

Welcome to the Course
Introduction to the Specialization
Course Logistics (Start Here)

Inductive Arguments
What Is Induction?
Generalizations from Samples
When are Generalizations Strong?
Applying Generalizations
Another Example of Applying Generalizations (Optional)
Inference to the Best Explanation
Which Explanation Is Best?
A Student Example of Inference to the Best Explanation
Arguments from Analogy
What Is Induction?
Generalizations from Samples
When are Generalizations Strong?
Applying Generalizations
Inference to the Best Explanation
Which Explanation Is Best?
A Student Example: Inference to the Best Explanation
Arguments from Analogy

Causal Reasoning
Causal Reasoning
Negative Sufficient Condition Tests
Positive Sufficient Condition Tests
Negative Necessary Condition Tests
Positive Necessary Condition Tests
Complex Conditions
Correlation Versus Causation
Causal Fallacies
A Student Example: Causal Reasoning About Chocolate
Causal Reasoning
Negative Sufficient Condition Tests
Positive Sufficient Condition Tests
Negative Necessary Condition Tests
Positive Necessary Condition Tests
Complex Conditions
Correlation Versus Causation
Causal Fallacies

Chance and Choice
Why Probability Matters
What Is Probability?
Negation
Conjunction
Disjunction
Series
Bayes Theorem (Optional)
Expected Financial Value
Expected Overall Value
The Sausage Argument: A Student Argument About Decision Making
Why Probability Matters
What Is Probability?
Negation
Conjunction
Disjunction
Series
Bayes Theorem (Optional)
Expected Financial Value
Expected Overall Value

Catch-Up and Final Quiz
Final Quiz

Summary of User Reviews

Discover the power of inductive reasoning with Coursera’s Inductive Reasoning course. Students have praised the course for its engaging content and interactive exercises, making it a top choice for learners interested in developing their critical thinking skills.

Pros from User Reviews

Engaging content
Interactive exercises
Helpful course materials
Clear and concise instruction
Effective for developing critical thinking skills

Cons from User Reviews

Some users found the quizzes to be too difficult
Lack of personal interaction with instructors
Limited opportunities for discussion with other students
Not ideal for those looking for a more advanced course
Lack of real-world applications

Recommended for you

Think Again I: How to Understand Arguments

In this course, you will learn what an argument is. The definition of argument will enable you to identify when speakers are giving arguments and when they are not....

Save Course