Question Details

If the statement ”Some birds are not mammals” is given as true, which of the following statements can be immediately inferred to be false?

Options

A

Some mammals are not birds

B

Some birds are mammals

C

No birds are mammals

D

All birds are mammals

Show Answer

Correct Answer :

Option D

All birds are mammals

Solution :

The correct option is: All birds are mammals.

To understand why this statement is immediately inferred to be false, we can use the traditional Square of Opposition from classical logic, which classifies categorical propositions into four types:
1. Universal Affirmative (A): "All birds are mammals" (All S are P)
2. Universal Negative (E): "No birds are mammals" (No S are P)
3. Particular Affirmative (I): "Some birds are mammals" (Some S are P)
4. Particular Negative (O): "Some birds are not mammals" (Some S are not P)

We are given that the statement "Some birds are not mammals" (an O-proposition) is true.

In the Square of Opposition, the relationship between A ("All S are P") and O ("Some S are not P") is one of contradiction.
Contradictory statements must always have opposite truth values. That is, if one statement is true, the other must be false, and vice versa.

Since the O-proposition ("Some birds are not mammals") is given as true, its contradictory counterpart, the A-proposition ("All birds are mammals"), must immediately and necessarily be false.

Unlock Our Free Library

Access expert-curated educational resources and study materials—completely free.

Discover more resources

You may also like

Mock Tests

View All
  • CLAT
  • intermediate
  • 2 hours
  • current affairs, general knowledge, legal reasoning, logical reasoning, quant

  • CLAT
  • intermediate
  • 2 hours
  • current affairs, english, general knowledge, legal reasoning, logical reasoning, quant

Ask AI Tutor
5 left
Q1 View Question & Options
AI Tutor is solving this question...
Reading question context & options...