Greetings,

Since the main function of language is to communicate, it's important to be accurate in what we transmit to others. So this week, I thought we'd take a little look at the fine art of deduction. (De-duction... not se-duction...tch tch ...) Yes, I know these Tips are all over the place like a mad woman's knitting - but that's half the fun - you never know what you're going to find each Friday!

Deduction isn't just reserved for the likes of Dr Watson and Sherlock Holmes - it's something we call upon every day, to make a point (or score a point).

Deduction is the process of applying a general rule to a particular case. When we observe the world around us, we make generalisations that we can then use to apply to similar situations when we meet them. For example, the French naturalist, Cuvier, observed many thousands of animals and concluded that, "...no animals with horns and hoofs eat flesh". This was useful information if you knew nothing about goats for instance - you could be fairly certain that a goat wouldn't eat you, since it had horns and hoofs!

This example makes perfect sense and lulls us into a false sense of security where deductions are concerned. A little probe soon shows the dangers.

Consider little children who are learning about their world. If they grow up in a house that has a dog, they learn the name for "dog". They observe that a dog has four legs, a tail and pointy ears.

They go visiting and meet a cat for the first time - here's another creature that has four legs, a tail and pointy ears - it must be a dog! Perfectly reasonable deduction, based on their observations, isn't it?

This line of reasoning is called a syllogism, and there are plenty of reasonable examples to illustrate its effectiveness:

All very sensible and logical.

We use this method to teach children how to move safely through their world:

The trouble with deductions is that they are too simplistic. Consider:

Now we all know that there are a hundred reasons why people take taxis and most of those reasons have nothing to do with missing buses.

So this example illustrates the need to consider wider issues when coming to conclusions.

This isn't a very serious example of faulty logic - not much damage is likely to arise from it; but think for a moment about other examples which can have serious effects:

This sort of faulty logic colours our attitudes to individuals and spreads false perceptions.

Advertisers make great use of this form of 'reasoning':

Sometimes, faulty reasoning leads to just plain silly conclusions:

It's something we should be aware of in our writing - it's very easy to convince yourself that your argument is water-tight, when in fact, it's full of holes.

I know that many of you use the Internet for your business and it's something we all dream of - unlimited exposure for our business sites. The good news is, it's not just a dream!

There's a simple way you can have your name and your business web site in front of thousands (hundreds of thousands) of targeted readers.

Writing articles and submitting them to ezine editors will establish you as a credible authority in your area of expertise. It's no secret that editors are always looking for quality material for their readers. While you won't usually receive money for having your articles published, you will receive something that is worth much more - free exposure for your web site.

Think of how much it would cost to advertise in some of these larger ezines - hundreds of dollars to have 5 - 6 lines in one issue. Wouldn't you rather have a couple of pages?

Wouldn't you like to have these pages archived for months (or even years)?

Wouldn't you like to have other editors ask you for permission to run your article in their ezines - giving you more exposure?

All you have to do is write an article about your particular area - and everyone is an expert in something.

What's that you say? You couldn't write your way out of a paper bag???

No problem.

Let me write for you. You send me an outline of your ideas and I'll write an article for you. You then submit this with your name as the author and details of your web site in the byline. This is called ghost writing and it's commonly used by people who don't have the time to write their own material. Think of all the prominent personalities who have published their autobiographies with the assistance of ghost writers - there are hundreds of them!

1. apathetic, ardent, fervent, zealous

2. rigorous, stringent, slack, strict

3. renowned, obscure, illustrious, eminent

4. diffident, timid, brash, bashful

5. artifice, guile, candour, stratagem

6. dogmatic, moderate, imperious, dictatorial

7. staid, sober, frivolous, sedate

8. despise, venerate, revere, cherish

9. impute, attribute, vindicate, ascribe

10.despondent, forlorn, elated, dejected

And here's another word quiz - it's been knocking around for years. In fact, even Queen Victoria is said to have spent sleepless nights trying to work it out:

These letters, T-E-R-A-L-B-A-Y, spell a common English word - what is it?

Let me know when you work it out!

I came across some Universal Laws this week ... according to Murphy ... need I say more?

Murphy's first law is familiar to us all:

The second law covers those situations that have been missed in the first:

Some of my favourites:

OXYMORON OF THE WEEK: soft rock

A Latin phrase that you could - just possibly - find a use for this weekend ...

Te audire no possum. Musa sapientum fixa est in aure. (I can't hear you. I have a banana in my ear.)

Regards,

Jennifer

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