Which of the five essential characteristics of the middle term (hetu) is…
2022
Which of the five essential characteristics of the middle term (hetu) is violated when an inference involves a non-inferentially contradicted middle?
Answer: B. Middle term must be non-incompatible with the minor term. — ConceptNyaya uses abadhitatva for the non-contradiction condition of a valid hetu. In the teaching formulation used by this source, saying that the hetu is…
- A.
Middle term must be absent in all negative instances in which the major term is absent.
- B.
Middle term must be non-incompatible with the minor term.
- C.
Middle term must be present in the minor term.
- D.
Middle term must be present in all positive instances in which the major term is present.
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Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Concept
Nyaya uses abadhitatva for the non-contradiction condition of a valid hetu. In the teaching formulation used by this source, saying that the hetu is non-incompatible with the paksha means that the sadhya attributed to that subject through the hetu is not defeated by a stronger non-inferential cognition, such as perception.
Application
The stem names a non-inferentially contradicted middle, the badhita fallacy. That fallacy is the failure of abadhitatva. The source exam expresses this condition in the offered value “Middle term must be non-incompatible with the minor term,” where the minor term is the paksha.
Contrast
Absence of the middle term in negative instances is vipakshasattva, the negative-concomitance condition.
Presence of the middle term in the minor term is pakshadharmata, the subject-locus condition.
Presence of the middle term in positive instances is sapakshasattva, the positive-concomitance condition.
Cross-check
If another inference supplied an equally strong opposing reason, the issue would concern asatpratipakshatva. Because the stem specifies a non-inferential contradiction, the relevant failure is abadhitatva.
Result
Thus, among the offered values, the violated characteristic is: “Middle term must be non-incompatible with the minor term.”