( ( ( deductive thinking ) ( -LRB- ( ( ( ( the ability ) ( to ( ( infer and ) reason ) ) ) ( from ( ( a general ) ( to ( a ( ( more specific ) principle ) ) ) ) ) ) -RRB- ) ) ) . )
(ROOT (NP (NP (JJ deductive) (NN thinking)) (PRN (-LRB- -LRB-) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN ability)) (PP (TO to) (NP (NN infer) (CC and) (NN reason))) (PP (IN from) (NP (NP (DT a) (NN general)) (PP (TO to) (NP (DT a) (ADJP (RBR more) (JJ specific)) (NN principle)))))) (-RRB- -RRB-)) (. .)))
deductive thinking (the ability to infer and reason from a general to a more specific principle).
(ROOT (S (S (VP (VBG Making) (NP (DT a) (JJ specific) (NN statement)) (PP (VBN based) (PP (IN on) (NP (DT a) (JJ general) (NN principle)))))) (VP (VBZ is) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN definition)) (PP (IN of) (NP (JJ deductive) (NN reasoning))))) (. .)))