An assumption is an unexamined belief: what we think without realizing we think it.
An assumption is something that may accepted as true, based on the partial information available.
It is a realistic expectation which is something that we believe to be true. However, no adequate
evidence and verification exists to support this belief.
In other words, an assumption is an act of faith which does not have empirical evidence to
support.
Assumptions are subconscious. Therefore, oftentimes, writers and speakers are not aware of
their own assumptions.
However, assumptions play an essential part in the formation of an argument, they are
important invisible links in the reasoning structure. In logic and critical thinking, an assumption is
a basic premise or starting point that is taken to be true in order to build an argument or reach a
conclusion. Assumptions are necessary for logical reasoning, but they should be scrutinized and
questioned to ensure their validity.
These are often required to get anything done in an environment of unknowns and uncertainties
It can be seen that assumptions sometimes serve as handy shortcuts to our immediate
objectives.
It’s caused by a lack of intellectual curiousity, people want to find a simple way of giving
definition to intricate ideas.
Assumption can also refer to generalization, inference, or estimation made based on limited
data, experience or information. In this sense, an assumption is an educated guess.
Assumptions are often made to simplify complex situation or to fill in gaps in information. You
can say that an assumption is just a theory that is based on incomplete information, or an
assumption is a prediction, based on past data and experiences.
Assumptions can be deceptive
An assumption is just a running theory that takes the place of real evidence. Problem is, people invest so
much effort into the assumption that they forget it is still a theory. It takes a little maturity (i.e. letting go
of ego) to let go of an assumption and accept evidence that contradicts it. People get personally
attached and that makes it harder to let go. When reality contradicts their assumptions they feel
personally contradicted. That’s why it’s best to acknowledge and be aware that any assumption you
make might prove to be wrong, and not place too much expectation on it.
In critical thinking, an assumption refers to anything that is taken for granted in the presentation of an
argument. Our inferences (also called conclusions) are often based on assumptions that we haven't
thought about critically. A critical thinker, however, is attentive to these assumptions because they are
sometimes incorrect or misguided. Just because we assume something is true doesn't mean it is.
