what is an inference

An inference is a conclusion or opinion that is formed based on known facts or evidence. It is a process of deduction that involves using existing information to make educated guesses about missing pieces of information. Inference is theoretically divided into deduction and induction, with deduction being the process of moving from general premises to specific conclusions, and induction being the process of moving from specific observations to general conclusions. Inference is used in various fields, including logic, argumentation studies, cognitive psychology, and artificial intelligence. Statistical inference uses mathematics to draw conclusions in the presence of uncertainty. Inference is an essential part of the scientific method, as it involves comparing models to data and drawing conclusions based on probability.