- 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.
Look at other dictionaries:
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
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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