Deducing consists of obtaining a conclusion from certain premises.
The verb deduce , which comes from the Latin word deducĕre , can refer to drawing a conclusion from certain premises or from a certain situation. For example: “From the statements of the Minister of Economy we can deduce that there will be a new tax increase in the short term” , “I don't feel like deducting anything, I want you to tell me exactly what happened last night in this house” , “ By observing the young man's way of walking, the police officer soon deduced that he was intoxicated."
The logical process through which, starting from premises, a conclusion is necessarily inferred is known as deductive reasoning . Deducing, in this context, implies reaching a conclusion from a finite succession of formulas:
Premise No. 1: “No human being can fly on his own.”
Premise No. 2: “Miguel is a human being”
Conclusion: “Miguel cannot fly by himself”
As can be seen, the premises allow us to deduce that, since Miguel is a human being , he is not in a position to fly on his own since no human being can do so.
Deductive reasoning in literature
Thanks to literary works focused on the work of detectives, the rudiments of deductive reasoning became very popular, and continue to be so today through countless police-themed television series and movies. By analyzing the stories of great detectives, we can learn the methods and decisions that are essential when solving a mystery.
To become true masters of deduction we can take the example of Sherlock Holmes , the most widely recognized character in this genre, who faces the most disconcerting cases with an unconventional attitude, standing both outside the limits, within them and even about the limits themselves.
It is through this degree of observation that Holmes is able to make truly unusual inferences. Instead of simply examining the most relevant details, this detective gives importance to each and every one of them, with the goal of creating a colossal network of data in his mind on which to work to deduce the answers to all his questions, such as be who, why and when .
The influence of this fictional character on real-world research bodies has been truly considerable. To cite an example, the importance given to deductive reasoning to try to prevent and solve crimes through the analysis of the things that motivate criminals is due to the way in which Holmes treats his cases.
Deducting can consist of removing an amount from a certain amount.
The importance of knowledge when deducing
To make a brilliant deduction it is necessary to have a lot of knowledge, which we must interrelate. Getting to that stage requires a great deal of observation, throughout which we have to collect as much data as possible.
A common mistake when trying to deduce the meaning of a seemingly mysterious phenomenon or event is to economize on resources, collecting only the data that we consider most relevant. Many times, the starting point towards success is found in a detail that seems insignificant, and it is only when we pay adequate attention to it that we put ourselves in perspective and all the other points make sense.
The concept in the tax field
Deducting also consists of subtracting an amount from a certain amount or quota . The tax legislation of a country, for example, may authorize a taxpayer to deduct the rental expense from Income Tax .
Thus, if a woman is a priori required to pay 4,000 pesos in Income Tax but spends 1,500 pesos on rent, she can deduct that figure and pay 2,500 pesos for the tax in question.