Logical Reasoning MCQ Questions for UGC-NET

Synonymous definition — Incorrect:
A synonymous definition explains an unfamiliar term by providing another word with the same or nearly the same meaning. For example, “physician” means “doctor.”

Operational definition — Correct:
It defines a term through specified operations and the observable or measurable result produced by those operations. This is exactly what the question describes.

Ostensive definition — Incorrect:
An ostensive definition explains the meaning of a term by directly pointing to or showing an example of it. For example, explaining “red” by pointing to a red object.

Quasi-ostensive definition — Incorrect:
A quasi-ostensive definition combines pointing to an example with a descriptive phrase that identifies the relevant feature. For example, pointing to an object and saying, “This colour is red.”

A. The middle term appears as the predicate in both premises — Correct: In the second figure, the middle term M occupies the predicate position in both premises: P–M and S–M.

B. It commits the fallacy of the undistributed middle term — Correct: In an A-proposition, the predicate is undistributed, and in an I-proposition, neither term is distributed. Therefore, M is not distributed in either premise, causing the fallacy of the undistributed middle.

C. The middle term is distributed in the major premise — Incorrect: The major premise is “All P are M.” In an A-proposition, the subject P is distributed, but the predicate M is undistributed.

D. It draws a negative conclusion from affirmative premises — Incorrect: Both premises and the conclusion are affirmative. The conclusion “Some S are P” is an I-proposition and is not negative.

E. The conclusion distributes neither of its terms — Correct: The conclusion is an I-proposition—“Some S are P.” In a particular affirmative proposition, neither the subject nor the predicate is distributed.

It leads to a single conclusion — Incorrect:
A valid middle term leads to a definite conclusion. Savyabhicara is inconclusive because the middle term is irregularly related to the major term.

The hetu is uniformly constant with the major term — Incorrect:
Uniform and invariable relation between the hetu and the major term is called vyapti. In Savyabhicara, this invariable relationship is absent.

The hetu is only related to the non-existence of the major term — Incorrect:
This does not define Savyabhicara. In this fallacy, the hetu may be present both where the major term exists and where it does not exist.

It leads to different opposite conclusions — Correct:
Because the middle term is not invariably connected with the major term, it can support conflicting or opposite conclusions. Therefore, it is called the fallacy of the irregular or inconclusive middle.