Given below are two statements:

Statement I: Aristotelian syllogism has three terms.

Statement II: Nyaya syllogism has five terms.

In light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

Correct option is C

Introduction

The most appropriate answer is that Statement I is true, but Statement II is false. This question contrasts the Aristotelian syllogism, a foundational structure in Western logic, with the Nyāya syllogism, a key part of Indian logic (anumāna or inference). Both structures rely on a fixed number of logical terms for their validity, though their procedural steps differ significantly.

Information Booster: 

• Statement I: Aristotelian syllogism has three terms.

  • This statement is Correct. The Aristotelian syllogism, a form of deductive reasoning, is formally defined by having three unique terms.

  • These three terms appear exactly twice across the two premises and the conclusion.

  • The terms are:

    1. Major Term (P): The predicate of the conclusion. It appears in the Major Premise.

    2. Minor Term (S): The subject of the conclusion. It appears in the Minor Premise.

    3. Middle Term (M): The term that appears in both premises but is excluded from the conclusion. Its function is to establish the relation between the Major and Minor terms.

  • Example Structure (Barbara Mood):

    • Major Premise: All M (Middle) is P (Major).

    • Minor Premise: All S (Minor) is M (Middle).

    • Conclusion: All S (Minor) is P (Major).

Additional Knowledge:

• Statement II: Nyāya syllogism has five terms.

  • This statement is Incorrect. While the Nyāya syllogism (known as Parārthānumāna or 'Inference for the sake of others') has five members (Pañcāvayava) or steps, it strictly uses only three logical terms.

  • The three terms (trayas-avayavāḥ) in Nyāya logic are:

    1. Sādhya: The Major Term (the thing to be proved, e.g., Fire).

    2. Pakṣa: The Minor Term (the subject where the sādhya is located, e.g., Hill).

    3. Hetu: The Middle Term (the reason or the logical mark/sign, e.g., Smoke).

  • The five members (steps) of the Nyāya syllogism, which structure the argument, are:

    1. Pratijñā (Thesis/Proposition): Statement of the fact to be proved (Minor Term related to Major Term).

    2. Hetu (Reason): Statement of the reason (Middle Term).

    3. Udāharaṇa (Example): Statement of the universal concomitance with an example (Rule and instance).

    4. Upanaya (Application): Application of the universal rule to the specific case (Minor Term related to Middle Term).

    5. Nigamana (Conclusion): Final assertion.

  • Therefore, the five members refer to the procedural steps or propositions in the proof, not to the number of fundamental logical terms, which remains three.