Paper 1 · Logical Reasoning
UGC NET June 2024 Re-Exam (23.08.2024) Shift-II
Name the mistake in the following: 'All textbooks are books meant for careful study. Some reference books are books meant for careful study. Therefore, some reference books are textbooks.'
AIllicit minor
BIllicit major
CUndistributed middle ✓ Correct
DFallacy of four terms
Correct answer: (C) Undistributed middle — The mistake is the undistributed middle, so that is the answer.
Explanation
★The mistake is the undistributed middle, so that is the answer.
★The middle term is 'books meant for careful study'.
★In the first premise this term is the predicate of an affirmative, so it is undistributed.
★In the second premise it is again the predicate of an affirmative, so it is undistributed there too.
★A valid syllogism needs the middle term distributed at least once.
★Since it is never distributed, the argument commits the undistributed middle fallacy.
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