Inference and Assumption

Inference and Assumption

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Inference and Assumption

Inferences refer to mental processes and intellectual acts through which people make their conclusions based on what they know. Assumptions refer to the things that people take for granted or that which they presuppose to know. People do not question the assumptions they have. Assumptions are part of people’s beliefs based on what they have learnt previously. People do not have to think about the assumption they have because it is part of them. People make inferences based on the assumptions they have. They are able to decide on issues, interpret what they see or hear, pronounce judgments, and come to conclusions using inferences and assumptions. People choose to make inferences from a variety of meanings. Their point of view determines how they interpret the events they see. Having the wrong assumptions can contribute to making the unreasonable and unjustified inferences. Assumptions are based on the things that people take for granted. In some cases, people take the wrong things for granted based on the experiences they have had and this will cause them to make the wrong inferences. It is possible to make the justified and logical inference by engaging in good reasoning

Inferences

1. Ashley has to be rich since she lives in Orange County
2. That older man has to be the psychology professor
3. David has gained so much weight since high school he must have stopped exercising and started eating junk food
4. The new foreign exchange student is a really good swimmer as she comes from Australia

Assumptions

1. When I inferred that Ashley was rich, I assumed that all people from Orange County are wealthy
2. I assumed that all older people in campus are professors when I saw the older man in the class
3. I assumed that all people who are overweight must love junk food and hate exercises when I saw David
4. I assumed that all Australians are good swimmers when the new student arrived

The inferences made are based on the assumptions under which people end up in different situations. Some of the assumptions made are not reasonable or justifiable. For instance, I fail to realize that older people do go back to school to study. Therefore, the fact that I have seen an older person in the classroom does not mean that he or she is an instructor. Moreover, not every person in Australia lives near the ocean and many of them might not be interested in swimming. Therefore, the new student may or may not be good in swimming. Although it is true that lifestyle practices such as leading a sedentary lifestyle and consuming unhealthy foods full of fats and sugars are the main reasons why people gain weight, the situation may not apply to everybody.

The assumptions made are connected to my viewpoints about the world, events, and people. The belief I have is that all people from Orange County are rich and wealthy. This is because all the people I have met from the region are rich and most of the news focuses on the wealth of individuals from that region. I have developed the perception that many Australians are good swimmers based on their performance in sports competitions. My point of view concerning education is that people should learn when they are younger and work when they are older. This has shaped my beliefs concerning higher education and it has contributed to the assumptions made about the older man in the class.