Syllogism – Shared predicate without forced intersection: Statements: • All children are playful. • Some animals are playful. Conclusions: I) Some animals are children. II) Some children are animals.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Neither I nor II follows

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
Two sets (Children, Animals) share a common property (Playful) but no direct linkage is given between them. We must avoid inferring overlap merely from sharing a predicate.



Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Children ⊆ Playful.
  • Some Animals are Playful (∃ Animal ∩ Playful).


Concept / Approach:
The premises do not assert any relation between Children and Animals, only that both touch Playful. Hence either overlap is possible or they may be disjoint; neither I nor II is forced.



Step-by-Step Solution:
Model A: Make Children and Animals disjoint inside Playful. Both premises hold; I and II fail.Model B: Make an overlap between Children and Animals; I and II may become true, but not by necessity.



Verification / Alternative check:
Necessity requires truth across all models; because countermodels exist, no conclusion follows.



Why Other Options Are Wrong:
They assume overlap not guaranteed by the premises.



Common Pitfalls:
“Same predicate fallacy”: treating a shared property as evidence of common identity.



Final Answer:
Neither I nor II follows.

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