A type of reasoning that is considered a fundamental principle of scientific inquiry in which thinking proceeds from the specific to the general is called what

Inductive reasoning

Explanation:

Inductive reasoning results as an initial inquiry is present on the research, thereby a method of reasoning with premises that partially show some evidence for an eventual conclusion.

Often inductive reasoning is contrasted to deductive reasoning:

The deductive reasoning departs from an argument considered certain, while on inductive reasoning the argument may turn likely for the evidence that has been observed so far.

In social science, one way of engaging in inductive reasoning is by making ourselves questions about something we have only in part observed, then we construct a series of questions that will construct our hypothesis, and this hypothesis will either turn to be true or false, if it turns false an alternative hypothesis should be included.

Sometimes inductive reasoning is called "Bottom-up reasoning " for it goes from the particular observations to general conclusions.

We obtain general principles for phenomena through observation, however, inductive reasoning is always based on specific instances and thus narrowed, sometimes leading to review or reconsider weak arguments.