Question

Identify the characteristics of the 'middle term' from the following:

a) It must be present in the minor term

b) It must be present in all positive instances in which the major term is present

c) It is the logical statement which is to be proved

d) It must be absent in all negative instances in which major term is absent

e) It is drawn from the preceding propositions

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

1. a, b and c only
2. b, c and d only
3. c, d and e only
4. a, b and d only

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 4 : a, b and d only

Fallacy:

• A fallacy is the use of invalid or otherwise faulty reasoning, or "wrong moves" in the construction of an argument. Fallacies are commonly divided into "formal" and "informal".
• A formal fallacy can be expressed neatly in a standard system of logic, such as propositional logic, while an informal fallacy originates in an error in reasoning other than an improper logical form. Arguments containing informal fallacies may be formally valid, but still fallacious.
• The fallacy concerning the middle term is known as hetvabhasa.
• If the middle term does not provide sufficient ground to justify the conclusion, then hetvabhasa is committed. Hetvabhasa thus signifies fallacious reasoning. Five such material fallacies are possible. Those are Savyabhicara or the irregular middle, Virudha or the contradictory middle, Satapratipaksa or the inferentially contradicted middle, Asidha or the unproved middle, and Badhita or the non-inferentially contradicted middle.

• A syllogism is a deductive argument that has exactly two premises and a conclusion
• A categorical syllogism is constructed entirely out of the categorical proposition
• It constitutes three different items, each of which is used two times
• The major term is the predicate of the conclusion of a categorical syllogism
• The minor term is the subject of the conclusion of a categorical syllogism
• Middle term is the term that occurs only in the premises of a categorical syllogism
• The mood of a categorical syllogism consists of the type of categorical proposition involved (A, E, I, O) and in the order, they occur
• Middle term can be arranged in the two premises in four different ways. The placements determine the figure of the categorical syllogism
• Middle term must be distributed in at least one premise
• If a term is distributed in the conclusion, then it must be distributed in a premise

Therefore option 4 is the correct answer.