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Immediate Inference

UGC NET Paper 1

Concept 8: Single-Statement Logical Reasoning

Definition:

An immediate inference is a type of reasoning where a conclusion is derived from a single statement or proposition, without requiring additional premises.

Example:

From the statement "All toads are green," we can immediately infer "No toads are non-green."

This specific type of inference is known as obversion.

✓ Immediate inferences use logical operations to create statements that are logically equivalent to the original statement.

✗ There are also invalid immediate inferences, known as syllogistic fallacies.

Types of Questions:

In exams, you might be asked to determine what happens to a related proposition A E I O if the original proposition is given as True or False. These questions test your understanding of the Square of Opposition and logical relationships.

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Solving with a Truth Table

A truth table is a quick shortcut to solve these questions without drawing the full Square of Opposition every time.

The Four Propositions:

A
All S are P
(Universal Affirmative)
E
No S are P
(Universal Negative)
I
Some S are P
(Particular Affirmative)
O
Some S are not P
(Particular Negative)

The Truth Table:

A E I O
T f t F
f T F t
d F T d
F d d T

Legend:

T / F Given condition (Capital)
t / f Inferred result (Small)
d Undetermined (Doubtful)
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How to Read the Table

1 Find the Given: Look for the column of the proposition given in the question.
2 Locate the Condition: Find the row where that proposition has a Capital T (if True) or Capital F (if False).
3 Read Across: Look at the other columns in that row to see their status.

Step-by-Step Examples

Example 1: If A is True, what is E?

Step 1: Find Column A

Step 2: Find the row where A is T (Row 1)

Step 3: Look at column E in that row → It shows f

✓ Conclusion: If A is True, E is False

Example 2: If E is True, what is I?

Step 1: Find Column E

Step 2: Find the row where E is T (Row 2)

Step 3: Look at column I in that row → It shows F

✓ Conclusion: If E is True, I is False

💡 Pro Tip: Memorize the table rows! Each row represents a complete logical scenario that you can instantly recall in exams.

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Summary of Truth Dependencies

Quick reference for all logical relationships between propositions:

A is True
• E is False
• I is True
• O is False
E is True
• A is False
• I is False
• O is True
I is True
• A is Undetermined
• E is False
• O is Undetermined
O is True
• A is False
• E is Undetermined
• I is Undetermined

🎯 Exam Strategy

Practice reading the table quickly! In exams, you should be able to find any relationship in under 5 seconds. Focus on memorizing the pattern of capital letters (given conditions) in each row.

📚 Practice Tip:

Create flashcards with "If X is True/False, what is Y?" questions. Quiz yourself until you can answer instantly without looking at the table. This will save precious time during your actual exam!

Master this concept to excel in UGC NET Paper 1 Logic & Reasoning sections

Contents taken from Ankit Sharma's book UGC NET Paper 1 Volume 5 Logical Reasoning

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