1 - The Trouble with Deduction

Summary

This chapter defines and introduces the explanandum of the book, i.e. the phenomenon (or phenomena) that it is about: deductive reasoning and argumentation. It presents deduction as having three main characteristics: necessary truth-preservation – which is perhaps the most central one, distinguishing deduction from other forms of inference and argument such as induction and abduction – perspicuity, and belief-bracketing. It also discusses a number of puzzling features of deduction, i.e. philosophical issues pertaining to deduction that remain open questions, as they have not yet been adequately ‘solved.’ These are: the range and scope of deductive reasoning and argumentation, the nature of deductive necessity, and the function(s) of deduction.