This document discusses observation, inference, and reasoning. It defines observation as experiences perceived through the senses, where the observer only collects data without making assumptions. Inference involves using observation and logic to derive cause and effect. Reasoning connects observations through deduction, induction, or abduction to form interpretations without bias. Deductive reasoning draws conclusions from premises, inductive reasoning forms general conclusions from patterns in data, and abductive reasoning generates hypotheses when evidence is lacking. The document advises avoiding conclusions from single observations and emphasizes using reasoning to analyze observations.

1. OBSERVATION &
INFERENCE
by– Kaushik Iyer

2. Observation
 An observation is an experience perceived
through one or more senses.
 It’s what you see, hear, smell or sense.
 In more scientific terms, to observe is only to
collect data based on what you see, hear,
sense or smell & nothing more.

3. So what do you make of the
picture??
 What’s your observation??
 Can you guess what happened??
 There’s a key difference in both questions!

4. Things aren’t always what they
seem to be.
 When observing…..only observe. Do not make
any assumptions or come with any
presumptions
 Remember…..It’s never too early to from an
opinion.
 Your observation largely depends on What
question you ask yourself when you see an
incident.

5. Notice a difference when you
observe carefully
A Chinese letter
or the word
CHINA
A side-pic of a
Red-Indian or an
Eskimo entering
his Igloo
AB < BC?
Or
AB = BC
Upside Down or
Right side Up?

6. What to avoid during observation
 One should never draw a conclusion on the
basis of initial observation; since there may be
some information or observation which you
might have missed.
 Or there are certain facts which you may not be
aware of yet.
 Which is why to reach any conclusion one
needs to reason & analyze

7. What is Reasoning?
 Reasoning is the cognitive process connecting
or collating your observations and derive by
logic or an educated guess the cause & effect
of the incident.
 When you extrapolate what you observed &
create a holistic interpretation about the
sequence of events leading to the incident
without any bias.

8. Ways of Reasoning
 Deductive: Where you infer from one premise to the
other & reach a conclusion; If A=B & B=C means
A=C.
 Inductive: This is quite opposite to Deductive
reasoning, here there is a series of data & patterns
from the data form a general conclusion. Eg. Sun will
rise from the east since it has always risen from
the east.
 Abductive: When there’s lack of data, evidence or
premise available you form a hypothesis & then test
for its validity. Doctor’s often use Abductive reasoning;
they usually recommend tests to confirm their
diagnosis even if it is an observed pattern.

9. Inference
A green liquid is leaking, is it toxic?
“There’s no warning label on the drums so it may
not be toxic, But it’s not evident”
How did the Drums fall?:- A person, an animal I
don’t find any evidence of someone getting injured
here. I’m I the first to arrive after the incident?
“I think no one knows about this yet”. I should
inform this immediately to the emergency service
since I’m not certain if this is Toxic or if anyone
is injured”