The Boffins' Portal Team Not everything takes up lots of space or stretches far and wide. Some things are slim, tightly shaped, or made to fit between small gaps. They don’t spread out — they slip through, squeeze in, or fit neatly where others can’t. These are the narrow things in our world — designed to be sleek, functional, …
Conditional syllogism is a deductive reasoning method that involves two premises and a conclusion. In this method, we use the if-then statements to draw a conclusion. This type of reasoning is commonly used in mathematics, logic, and computer programming. First, let us explore the basics of conditional syllogism and how it works. The Basics of …
Enumerative induction is an inductive inference involving generalizations based on a finite number of specific observations. It is a standard method used in scientific research and can help test hypotheses and make predictions. Enumerative induction is essential for inductive inference because it allows researchers and data scientists to draw general conclusions about a population based …
The Broken Window Fallacy is a concept that explains why destroying something or repairing damages does not benefit the economy. This idea was first introduced by French economist, Frederic Bastiat in 1850. Bastiat first introduced the Broken Window Fallacy in his essay “What is Seen and What Is Not Seen.” In this essay, Bastiat used …
Affordance is a concept in design that refers to the possible actions or uses that an object or environment offers a user. It is the relationship between an object and the person using it and what the person perceives they can do with the object based on its physical characteristics. In other words, affordance is …
The Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy is a mistake in reasoning where someone focuses on specific details or patterns that seem to fit their argument while ignoring other important information. The name comes from the idea of a sharpshooter who fires randomly at a barn door and then draws targets around the bullet holes after the fact, …
A constructive dilemma is a form of logical argument that presents the audience with two options, both of which result in a favorable outcome. This type of syllogism allows the reader or listener to choose between two desirable alternatives without any negative consequences. Essentially, it is a method of reasoning that enables individuals to decide …
When we encounter something new, it’s natural to want to understand its purpose. We ask ourselves, “What is it for?” to comprehend or build upon it. By knowing the end goal of an object, we can better grasp how it works and why it was created in the first place. Teleology enables us to make …
Lenz’s Law is a fundamental law of electromagnetism that describes the direction of an induced electric current in a conductor when the magnetic field around it changes. It states that the direction of the induced current is such that it opposes the change in the magnetic field that produced it. Lenz’s Law has important applications …
The law of segregation is a principle in genetics that states that during the formation of gametes (sperm and egg cells), the two alleles (different versions of a gene) for a trait separate from each other so that each gamete carries only one allele. This means that when the sperm and egg unite during fertilization, …