Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion A and the other…
2026
Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion A and the other is labelled as Reason R
Assertion A: As per Classical Indian School of Logic the argument "wherever there is fire, there is smoke" is fallacious.
Reason R: In the above argument the middle term is non-exclusive.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:
- A.
Both A and R are correct and R is the correct explanation of A
- B.
Both A and R are correct but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
- C.
A is correct but R is not correct
- D.
A is not correct but R is correct
Attempted by 3 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
In Classical Indian Logic (Nyaya), a valid inference requires the middle term (Hetu) to be exclusively associated with the major term (Sadhya). The statement 'Wherever there is fire, there is smoke' attempts to use Fire as the middle term to prove Smoke. However, this is fallacious because fire can exist without smoke (e.g., in a red-hot iron). This specific fallacy is known as Savyabhicara (irregularity), where the middle term is non-exclusive. Therefore, Assertion A is correct as the argument is fallacious, and Reason R correctly identifies that the middle term (Fire) is non-exclusive. The valid inference would be 'Wherever there is smoke, there is fire'.