Which of the following arguments is fallacious because of the middle term…
2024
Which of the following arguments is fallacious because of the middle term being too narrow?
- A.
All things are non-eternal because they are knowable
- B.
Sound is eternal, because it is audible
- C.
Fire is cold because it is a substance
- D.
Wherever there is fire, there is smoke
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Correct answer: B
The correct answer is Option 1. The argument 'Sound is eternal, because it is audible' illustrates the fallacy where the middle term ('audible') is too narrow to support the universal claim of eternity. In Indian Logic, this specific example demonstrates how a property that is not universally present in the major term can lead to an invalid inference.