csatmedium

Examine the following statements:

  1. 1.All animals are carnivorous.
  2. 2.Some animals are not carnivorous.
  3. 3.Animals are not carnivorous.
  4. 4.Some animals are carnivorous.
  1. A.1 and 3
  2. B.1 and 2
  3. C.2 and 3
  4. D.3 and 4
▶ Answer & Explanation

Correct answer: A. 1 and 3

Statements 1 and 3 present absolute and contradictory claims about animals and carnivory. Statement 1 claims 'All animals are carnivorous', which is universally false. Statement 3, 'Animals are not carnivorous', is also a sweeping generalization and likely false. These two statements cannot simultaneously be true or false in a logical sense, and they represent extreme positions on the spectrum of the relationship between animals and being carnivorous. The provided options likely test the ability to identify logically consistent or derivable statements within a syllogistic framework, even if the premise itself is factually incorrect. In syllogistic reasoning, the validity of an argument depends on its structure, not the truth of its premises. However, in this context, options are presented as selections from given statements, implying a need to evaluate their logical relationship.

Source: UPSC csat 2011

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