Quotes About Deduction

It is quite a three pipe problem, and I beg that you won't speak to me for fifty minutes.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

Well, Watson, what do you make of it?' Holmes was sitting with his back to me, and I had given him no sign of my occupation. 'How did you know what I was doing? I believe you have eyes in the back of your head.' 'I have, at least, a well-polished, silver-plated coffee-pot in front of me', said he.

when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth? (The Sign of the Four, page 111)

I am inclined to think--' said I. I should do so, Sherlock Holmes remarked impatiently. I believe I am one of the most long-suffering of mortals; but I'll admit I was annoyed at the sardonic interruption. 'Really, Holmes,' said I severely, 'you are a little trying at times.

I reached this one, said my friend, by sitting upon five pillows and consuming an ounce of shag. I think, Watson, that if we drive to Baker-street we shall just be in time for breakfast.

In solving a problem of this sort, the grand thing is to be able to reason backwards. That is a very useful accomplishment, and a very easy one, but people do not practice it much.

If you eliminate all other possibilities, whatever remains must be the truth. Sherlock Holmes

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

Every induction is a syllogism with the major premise suppressed.

The precise point at which a tax deduction becomes a 'loophole' or a tax incentive becomes a 'subsidy for special interests' is one of the great mysteries of politics.

Deduction was for the highbrows in top hats and great coats; I performed my detecting with a boot and a six-gun.

Maigret never took notes. If he had a propelling pencil in his hand and a paper in front of him, it was only to make doodles that had no connection with the case.

I think it's amazing that the entire community of astronomy has done what it's done. We've been able to deduce the nature of time and space and where we all came from. It's the most amazing detective story in history.

We're facing a danger that economics is rigorous deduction based upon faulty assumptions. Science after science gets that way from time to time. When it does, we're in real trouble.

think you are wrong in saying we ought to follow the methods of Sherlock Holmes. We ought rather to follow Dupin, Poe's detective, the man who preceded Sherlock Holmes.

The rigorousness of restraint is other than the one of the "exactitude" of a loose, indifferent "reasoning" which belongs equally to everyone and whose results are compelling within the sphere of its own claims to certainty. Such results are compelling, however, only because the claim to truth is content with the correctness that comes from deduction and from insertion into a regulated and calculable order.

burn. Now, I observe, Ames

You have a case, Holmes? I remarked. The faculty of deduction is certainly contagious, Watson, he answered. It has enabled you to probe my secret. Yes, I have a case. After a month of trivialities and stagnation the wheels move once more.

Sherlock and his Watson may for a time find a place, while some more astute sleuth with some even less astute comrade may fill the stage which they have vacated.

starts upon the supposition that when you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. It

process, said I, starts upon the supposition that when you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. It may well be that several explanations remain, in which case one tries test after test until one or other of them has a convincing amount of support.

Non vedo niente», dissi restituendo il cappello al mio amico.  «Al contrario, Watson, lei vede tutto, ma non riflette su ciò che vede. Non ha il coraggio di trarne delle deduzioni».