How we reach conclusions from what we know and observe.
What is inference?
Inference is a conclusion drawn from what is already known or observed.
If you see dark clouds and conclude that it may rain, you are making an inference. You have not seen the rain yet. You have only connected the signs.
Inference is not just guessing. A good inference is based on facts, experience and reason. Still, it can be wrong when the facts are incomplete or the reasoning is faulty.
Types of inference
Two common ways of making an inference are:
- Deduction: starting with a general rule and applying it to a particular case.
- Induction: observing particular cases and forming a general rule from them.
Why is inference important?
We use inference to understand what is not directly stated. It helps us explain events, predict what may happen and decide what to do.
A detective connects clues. A doctor connects symptoms. The mind does the same every day.
Machines can also infer from patterns in data. But making a useful connection is not the same as consciously understanding it.
Inference is how we move from what we know to what we think follows from it.
