PASTOR DAVE’S MUSINGS FROM THE HEARTLAND

February 27, 2022

DEDUCTION

Deduction plays a vital part in Sherlock Holmes being a consulting detective.  Here deduction is taken to mean reasoning from the general to the specific.  This approach is very much data driven.  A deductive principle that we find repeated many times in the Sherlock Holmes adventures is “When all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” (The Complete Sherlock Holmes, p. 1089)

Deduction is very often contrasted with induction which is reasoning from the particular to the general.  Induction is sometimes called rationalization.  Holmes says about such an approach “the temptation to form premature theories upon insufficient data is the bone of our profession.” (The Complete Sherlock Holmes, p. 95)

Many years ago when I was working on a pastoral care master’s degree I made use of a test that identified if persons were intrinsic, extrinsic, pro-religious, or anti-religious in their religious orientation.  An intrinsic person’s religious faith informs what he or she believes.  An extrinsic person’s religious faith is used to justify what one already believes.  A person who is pro-religious thinks faith is a good thing but does not play a major part in their lives.  Faith does not play any part for a person with an anti-religious orientation.

Research shows that Christians with intrinsic orientations are very likely to have opinions and practices that reflect the values and beliefs of the Christian faith.  As Paul says in his letters to the Romans they are transformed by the renewal of their minds to discern the will of God. (Romans 12:2) Persons with extrinsic or pro-religious orientations can have opinions and practices which are at great variance with the faith.

Exegesis is critically studying God’s word to discover its original meaning, how it had been understood and what it is has to say today.  This approach is concerned with getting at the truth contained in the scriptures.  Exegesis is often contrasted with eisegesis.  This is a process of interpreting scripture in such a way as to introduce one’s own presuppositions, agenda, or biases.  Proof-texting, using out-of-context quotes to support an argument, is a type of eisegesis.

Exegesis might be understood as taking a deductive approach to scriptures so that they might inform what one believes and practices.  Eisegesis might be understood as taking an inductive approach to scriptures to support what ones present already believes and thinks.  A. Conan Doyle in his adventures of Sherlock Holmes illustrates the advantages of taking a deductive approach and the problems, difficulties and dangers of taking an inductive approach.  Most of the time, Holmes takes a deductive approach, while the Scotland Yard detectives take an inductive one.

In listening to the national media I get the impression that most pundits on both sides of issues engage in inductive reasoning.  They fashion and twist their reporting to support what they already believe.  When dealing with issues of national consequences, this approach can have drastic consequences and can do a great deal of harm.  Many long for reporters who engage in deductive reasoning.  Reporters who are concerned to tell it the way it is rather than the way they would like it to be.

However, before I am too quick to criticize the national media, I need to realize how I engage in inductive reasoning.  When I stop to reflect upon my own interpretations, I find that many of them are the fruit of inductive reasoning.