since taking up this YouTube channel and seeing the feedback in the comments I
have found that misconceptions about deduction invade the thinking of some
aspiring deductionists out there it is profitable therefore to determine what
deduction is and what it is not firstly deduction is not mind reading it is not
simply deductive reasoning abductive reasoning or even inductive reasoning
alone neither a supernatural power nor a natural talent of the select few it is
not random speculation but it is also not an exact science but if it isn't any
one of these then what is it exactly the answer to that question is slightly more
nuanced and that is one of the fundamentals nuance the subtle details
and differentiations that make all the difference
seeing the world is filled with shades of grey in between the stark black and
white having a mindset such as this is essential it enables you to consider all
possibilities no matter how seemingly unlikely for the person who sees
little nuance in the world they will find in absolute method a
one-size-fits-all approach and that is simply not how reality works the things
we apply deduction to are multifaceted and nuanced and an approach that works
for one might not work for the next adaptability is therefore indispensable
to the deduction methodology this is not to imply that the stark black and white
don't exist but rather they are what grounds our thinking as we delve into
the hues of grey consider all possibilities and look at the finer
details mindset is key over methodology and technique in deduction Bruce Lee had
a philosophy on martial arts that I apply to deduction technique is
pointless without a body's strong enough to execute it the frailest man could
learn all the techniques perfectly in an ideal training scenario but without the
strength of the body to apply those techniques in an unideal scenario in which the techniques truly matter
he would be powerless Bruce Lee thus had his students focus on physical fitness a
great deal not just training the same can be said of brain athletes anyone can
properly perform a deduction when walked through the process and spoon-fed the
information however it takes the mindset of a deductionist to truly be proficient
it is therefore paramount that you can make observation and critical thinking
not only anything that you can do but a thing you just do now what is the deal
with the whole logical process of deduction anyway now there are several
camps that want to claim that the process of deduction is actually
abduction or induction depending on who you talk to you I have discussed this in
a past video linked above but to wrap things up nicely with a bow the word
deduction used in the context that we use it in this community is a
connotative definition in reality depending on the evidence available and
the situation itself you may strictly use one of these three forms of
reasoning or you might use two of them in tandem or all three it all depends on
the evidence available and the step of the processes you're in the application
of abductive of reasoning can seamlessly flow into the application of deductive
reasoning and the same is true for inductive reasoning the desire to
confine oneself to merely one form of logical reasoning is a stance that in my
opinion lacks proper perspective and is reflective of a mindset that requires
and demands things to be seen as absolutes however the world as the way I
see is and have been able to see it through looking at it this way is far
more muddled and nuanced than to allow for that sort of perspective while this
is not the proper time to discuss how all of that works bear in mind what we
discussed earlier about nuance as long as you can practically apply all three
of these forms of reasoning at the end of the day it really doesn't matter
call it as language is a relative human construct and the term deduction has
been applied to this process for so long that even though it's not the
traditional definition of the word it is what most people associate with the word
thus it is simply more efficient to use the term deduction especially when you
are trying to explain it to someone as language is a relative construct and the
purpose of rhetoric is to convey an idea and disseminate information and not
squabble over terminology as long as the concept trying to be conveyed pervades
it is profitable to use the colloquial term fundamentally the process of
deduction is all about deconstruction and reconstruction of data breaking down
a system or piece of data into its individual parts and understanding how
they all fit together as you reconstruct the data with your newly found micro
understanding you obtain a fuller picture of the macro understanding this
gathering of data for what it is and seeing how it all fits is deduction
speculation would be trying to extrapolate meaning from one piece of
information outside of its proper context to the practitioners individual
psyche deduction is the mastery over attention and focus the recognition that
attention is a finite resource and the ability to direct that focus in a
calculated and precise manner depending on the task at hand the ability to sit
and think and block out all other input while you dwell on what you
have to the systematic focusing of your attention to gather information about
your surroundings to the ability to apply your subconscious to a problem
when your conscious mind has hit a dead end
in practice this skill is mentally taxing until you have properly
conditioned your brain to perform at with ease which takes years of
dedication of practice of study and there is no quick or easy way to master
this skill and that is simply the sad truth of the matter before you can begin
to be a proficient deductionist you have to know yourself and know what it
is you're trying to achieve take some time to reflect on yourself what kind of
person you are the dark thoughts the things you like and the things you don't
like about yourself the things that distract you and pervade
your thoughts unannounced the insecurities of your life deconstruct
them and don't just recognize what they are but why they are the way that they
are if you start to find that you're uncomfortable with yourself you're on
the right track we have a tendency to idealize and make ourselves appear
better to ourselves than what we actually are you have to hold an honest
mirror up to yourself if you want to understand other people it is very
difficult to begin without understanding yourself first even if you don't like
who you are and spoiler alert you probably won't I know I don't
understanding who you are is essential and hey if you really don't like what
you see in the mirror now that you're aware of the truth you can begin to
change it seeing the truth behind the facade necessitates that you see the
truth behind your own facade first