Here is a simple example of the reasoning process in action.

As you drive your car down the road you see a child bouncing a ball on the footp
ath, she loses control of
the ball and it bounces across the road in front of you.
You observe and draw these facts:
A child is bouncing a ball
the child loses control of the ball
the ball is bouncing onto the road
From these facts you predict that the ball is going to continue bouncing and wil
l bounce in front of the car
From the facts you you draw an inference:
the ball will go in front of your car.
You also have a feeling that the child is going to run after
the ball
From the inference you now form an assumption:
The child is going to run after the ball
You can see a potential accident
From all the above you have now formed an opinion:
This is a potential accident
At this point you make a decision which may be to take evasive action, brake, sw
erve, slow down or do nothing.
Decision and action
Afterwards you will create arguments to defend your reasoning process and action
Create arguments to defend your choices
You will very likely reflect on and analyse the incident later in the day, if a
wrong decision was made you may reflect on it for years.
Reflection and ananalysis
This is a simple example, but it does serve to illustrate the reasoning process.
It also serves to illustrate the clear difference between inferences and assump
tions. Inference are only one step removed from facts, the facts are accepted as
being true, and inferences are usually taken as being true. Assumptions, by com
parison, are two steps removed from the facts. Assumptions are much less likely
to be true b