Deductive reasoning, deduction, 演绎推理, 正向推理
如果前提为真，则结论必然为真。
Deduction is a form of reasoning in which a conclusion follows necessarily from the stated premises.
Inductive reasoning, induction, 归纳, 归纳推理
前提可以预测出高概率的结论，但是不确保结论为真。
它基于对特殊的代表（token）的有限观察，把性质或关系归结到类型；或基于对反复再现的现象的模式（pattern）的有限观察，公式表达规律。
Induction is a form of inference producing propositions about unobserved objects or types, either specifically or generally, based on previous observation.
Inductive reasoning contrasts strongly with deductive reasoning in that, even in the best, or strongest, cases of inductive reasoning, the truth of the premises does not guarantee the truth of the conclusion. Instead, the conclusion of an inductive argument follows with some degree of probability.
David Hume (大卫·休谟):
- Hume argued that inductive reasoning and belief in causality cannot be justified rationally; instead, they result from custom and mental habit. We never actually perceive that one event causes another but only experience the “constant conjunction” of events. This problem of induction means that to draw any causal inferences from past experience, it is necessary to presuppose that the future will resemble the past, a metaphysical presupposition which cannot itself be grounded in prior experience.
Analogical reasoning, 类比
Analogical reasoning is a form of inductive reasoning from a particular to a particular.
Abductive reasoning, abduction, abductive inference, retroduction, 溯因推理, 反绎推理, 反向推理
从事实推理到最佳解释的过程。换句话说，它是开始于事实的集合，并推导出其最佳解释的推理过程。
It is a form of logical inference that seeks the simplest and most likely conclusion from a set of observations.
Abductive reasoning, or argument to the best explanation, is a form of reasoning that doesn’t fit in deductive or inductive, since it starts with incomplete set of observations and proceeds with likely possible explanations so the conclusion in an abductive argument does not follow with certainty from its premises and concerns something unobserved. What distinguishes abduction from the other forms of reasoning is an attempt to favour one conclusion above others, by subjective judgement or attempting to falsify alternative explanations or by demonstrating the likelihood of the favoured conclusion, given a set of more or less disputable assumptions. For example, when a patient displays certain symptoms, there might be various possible causes, but one of these is preferred above others as being more probable.