“Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it.” — Henry Ford
The art of deduction.
Let’s stop right there. What is it, really?
You are all pulling out your Sherlock Holmes Hats right now, I bet.
But a deduction can be one of two things. As Mr. Red Webster goes:
1. the action of deducting or subtracting something
2. the inference of particular instances by reference to a general law or principle
Wonky Webster. But the first definition… the one about subtraction… comes from the word….. deduct.
The second one… the Sherlock Holmes definition…. comes from deduce.
Deduct. Subtract or take away.
Deduce. Arrive at (a fact or a conclusion) by reasoning.
I guess I just did my fair share of deducing as we speak. (So. With that said, let’s forget about the New Math Definition for tonight. Seven minus three will always be four, in the world of deduction. I hope. )
Let’s talk about the other. The sleuthing part.
We all deduce. All the time. Many of the gazillion decisions we make each day, come from the process of deduction. At least they do for me.
Waffles or Pancakes? Buy the car or lease it? Trust Jenny with this secret, or not? Go to Kroger’s or Jungle Jim’s? Is Bob lying to me? How did that puddle get on the tile? Why is Aunt Mildred tied up on the floor of the closet? You see what I mean?
Our deductions pop up all over the place.
I put forth… that it is much better of us to deduce… than it is to speculate, or assume.
When we deduce…we try our best to get the facts straight. And sometimes, that proves to be a most difficult task. Where the heck is is Watson when you need him?
Sometimes, a great deal relies on our decision-making. And at those times we try our best to use good reason.
But every once in a while, I wish Sherlock would show up on the scene and get to work. Every so often, when we have those ever-important decisions to make, and our best fact-finding doesn’t seem to do us one bit of good.
And those are the times when we need Sherlock to swoosh in to the room with his cape-wool-coat and matchy-matchy-hat….., and say… “Sir Edinburgh is our murderer, Dr. Watson.”
And Watson retorts.. … … “Sherles, my man. How do you know?”
“Elementary Dear Watson. Elementary.”
Which brings us back to Elementary… as in …. school. And new math. And the world goes around, and around and around.
Disclaimer: Not a big fan of the show Elementary. I deduced that too.
Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking. — Marcus Aurelius
There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so. — William Shakespeare