"Fire is cold, because it is a substance." This is an instance of which of the hetuabhasas (fallacies of inference)?
AAsiddha (unproved middle term)
BBadhita (non-inferential contradicted middle) ✓ Correct
CViruddha (contradictory middle)
DSavyabhichara (irregular middle)
Correct answer: (B) Badhita (non-inferential contradicted middle)
Explanation
The conclusion "fire is cold" is directly refuted by perception, a case of badhita.
The mark offered is that fire is a substance.
But the very property to be proved, coldness, is contradicted by experience.
We plainly perceive fire to be hot, not cold.
When a stronger means of knowledge disproves the sadhya, the mark is contradicted.
A middle whose conclusion is overturned by perception is the fallacy of badhita.
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