Which formal fallacy is committed in the argument: 'All athletes are sportspersons. No actor is an athlete. Therefore no actors are sportspersons'?
AFallacy of illicit process of the major term ✓ Correct
BFallacy of illicit process of the minor term
CFallacy of exclusive premises
DExistential fallacy
Correct answer: (A) Fallacy of illicit process of the major term
Explanation
The major term sportspersons is distributed in the conclusion but not in its premise, an illicit major.
In the negative conclusion No actors are sportspersons the predicate sportspersons is distributed.
In the premise All athletes are sportspersons that same term is the undistributed predicate of an A proposition.
A term distributed in the conclusion must be distributed in the premises as well.
Its illicit widening from premise to conclusion is the fallacy of illicit process of the major term.
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