Definitionv1DF-254
Transitive inference
the automatic cognitive operation of computing implied relationships from chains of explicit relationships without conscious effort, where the relationship type must support transitivity for the inference to be valid
Why This Is a Definition
This definition establishes the precise semantic boundary of 'transitive inference' by identifying it as a cognitive operation (genus) and specifying its automatic nature and reliance on relationship type consistency (differentia). It distinguishes between the cognitive process and the validity condition, which is central to the lesson's emphasis on avoiding over-application of transitive inference.