Inference

Inference
Inference In"fer*ence, n. [From {Infer}.] [1913 Webster] 1. The act or process of inferring by deduction or induction. [1913 Webster]

Though it may chance to be right in the conclusions, it is yet unjust and mistaken in the method of inference. --Glanvill. [1913 Webster]

2. That which inferred; a truth or proposition drawn from another which is admitted or supposed to be true; a conclusion; a deduction. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

These inferences, or conclusions, are the effects of reasoning, and the three propositions, taken all together, are called syllogism, or argument. --I. Watts.

Syn: Conclusion; deduction; consequence.

Usage: {Inference}, {Conclusion}. An inference is literally that which is brought in; and hence, a deduction or induction from premises, -- something which follows as certainly or probably true. A conclusion is stronger than an inference; it shuts us up to the result, and terminates inquiry. We infer what is particular or probable; we conclude what is certain. In a chain of reasoning we have many inferences, which lead to the ultimate conclusion. ``An inference is a proposition which is perceived to be true, because of its connection with some known fact.'' ``When something is simply affirmed to be true, it is called a proposition; after it has been found to be true by several reasons or arguments, it is called a conclusion.'' --I. Taylor. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Inference — is the act or process of deriving a conclusion based solely on what one already knows. Inference is studied within several different fields. * Human inference (i.e. how humans draw conclusions) is traditionally studied within the field of… …   Wikipedia

  • INFÉRENCE — Opération de l’esprit qui passe de propositions assertives, comme prémisses, à des propositions assertives, comme conclusions. Au sens strict, on distingue l’inférence du raisonnement en ce qu’elle peut être soit médiate soit immédiate (passer de …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Inférence — Les types de raisonnement rigoureux déductif (synthétique) Déduction (implication ou inférence universelle) Syllogisme Raisonnement par l absurde (apagogie) ; par la contraposée inductif (analytique) induction complète (étude de tous les cas …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Inference — Inférence L inférence est une opération mentale, ou jugement, qui consiste à tirer une conclusion (d une série de propositions reconnues pour vraies). Ces conclusions sont tirées à partir de règles de base. Dans sa définition classique, l… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • inference — in·fer·ence / in fə rəns/ n 1: the act or process of inferring; specif: the act of passing from one proposition, statement, or judgment considered as true to another whose truth is believed to follow logically from that of the former 2: something …   Law dictionary

  • inference — 1 deduction, conclusion, judgment (see under INFER) 2 Inference, ratiocination denote the process of arriving at conclusions from data or premises. Inference often connotes guesswork based on trivial or inadequate data or premises; in technical… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • inference — 1590s, from M.L. inferentia, from L. inferentem (nom. inferens), prp. of inferre (see INFER (Cf. infer)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • inference — [n] conclusion, deduction assumption, conjecture, corollary, guess, hint, interpretation, presumption, reading, reasoning, supposition; concept 689 …   New thesaurus

  • inference — ► NOUN 1) a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning. 2) the process of reaching a conclusion by inferring. DERIVATIVES inferential adjective …   English terms dictionary

  • inference — [in′fər əns] n. [ML inferentia] 1. an act or the process of inferring 2. a conclusion or opinion arrived at by inferring …   English World dictionary

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