According to the classical Indian school of logic (Nyaya), which of the following arguments involves the fallacy of Sadharana (the middle term being too wide)?

AThe hill has smoke because it has fire

BSound is eternal because it is audible

CThe hill has fire because it is knowable ✓ Correct

DAll things are non-eternal because they are knowable

Correct answer: (C) The hill has fire because it is knowable

Explanation

The mark "knowable" is present in things that have fire and equally in things that lack it.

A sound reason must be present only where the conclusion holds, not everywhere.

Being knowable belongs to fiery hills and to watery lakes alike.

Such a mark occurs in both similar (sapaksha) and dissimilar (vipaksha) instances.

A middle term shared by both sides proves nothing about fire in particular.

This over-wide, common middle is the fallacy of sadharana.

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