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First Principles

What is Inference?

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Inference is the logic of deriving true statements from sets of known facts. For example,
1. Cities have people in them
2. Paris is a city
3. Therefore, Paris has people in it
Humans naturally use inference in everyday thought processes. It is also a common artificial intelligence technique.
Overview: Inference
Function
Value
Determining new facts based on what you know.
Direction
Bottom up, starting with known facts.
Allows Guesses
No, inference is a process of logic that doesn't allow for unconfirmed theories.
Similar Techniques

Thinking

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Abductive Reasoning
Abstract Thinking
Abstraction
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Analysis Paralysis
Analytical Thinking
Anomie
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Argument From Silence
Arrow Of Time
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Backward Induction
Base Rate Fallacy
Benefit Of Doubt
Big Picture
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Call To Action
Catch 22
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Choice Architecture
Circular Reasoning
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Cognitive Abilities
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Collective Intelligence
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Concept
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Counterfactual Thinking
Creative Tension
Creeping Normality
Critical Thinking
Culture
Curse Of Knowledge
Decision Fatigue
Decision Framing
Decision Making
Defensive Pessimism
Design Thinking
Divergent Thinking
Educated Guess
Emotional Intelligence
Epic Meaning
Essential Complexity
Excluded Middle
Failure Of Imagination
Fallacies
Fallacy Fallacy
False Analogy
False Balance
False Dichotomy
False Equivalence
First Principles
Formal Logic
Four Causes
Fuzzy Logic
Gambler's Fallacy
Generalization
Golden Hammer
Good Judgement
Grey Area
Groupthink
Heuristics
Hindsight Bias
Hope
Idealism
Ideas
If-By-Whiskey
Illogical Success
Imagination
Independent Thinking
Inductive Reasoning
Inference
Influencing
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Information
Information Cascade
Introspection
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Logic
Logical Argument
Logical Thinking
Ludic Fallacy
Magical Thinking
Meaning
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Misuse of Statistics
Motivated Reasoning
Natural Language
Nirvana Fallacy
Norms
Not Even Wrong
Objective Reason
Objectivity
Opinion
Overthinking
Perception
Personal Values
Perspective
Positive Thinking
Practical Thinking
Pragmatism
Premise
Problem Solving
Proof By Example
Propositional Logic
Prosecutor's Fallacy
Radical Chic
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Reality
Reason
Reasoning
Red Herring
Reflective Thinking
Reification
Relativism
Salience
Scarcity Mindset
Scientism
Selective Attention
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Sour Grapes
State Of Mind
Storytelling
Subjectivity
Systems Thinking
Thinking
Thought Experiment
Unknown Unknowns
Visual Thinking
Want To Believe
Whataboutism
Win-Win Thinking
Wishful Thinking
Worldview
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