Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: Neither conclusion I nor conclusion II follows
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question uses a famous proverb, “Honesty is the best policy,” and asks you to judge which conclusions can be logically drawn from it. The challenge is to separate what the statement literally says from what people commonly believe or recommend in real life.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Accept the statement as given.
Concept / Approach:
The statement merely gives a value judgment comparing honesty with other possible policies. It says that honesty is the best policy, meaning that among all policies, honesty is considered superior. However, it does not explicitly quantify how many people must follow this policy. Logical conclusions must be strictly derived from what is clearly expressed.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Verification / Alternative check:
If honesty is the best policy, it could be followed by all people, by many people, or even by very few people. The statement alone does not fix the number. Both scenarios “all are honest” and “some are honest” are compatible with the proverb. Therefore, neither of the two conclusions is forced, because they both introduce new restrictions on how many people must follow this policy.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A assumes that the proverb directly commands everyone to be honest, which is more of a moral interpretation than a logical deduction. Option B suggests that only some people should be honest, which also cannot be supported and is contrary to the general nature of the statement. Option C claims both conclusions follow, but they contradict each other in quantity, and the original statement does not support either specifically.
Common Pitfalls:
Many learners treat proverbs as direct universal rules, forgetting that logical reasoning requires explicit wording. The exam is testing whether you can distinguish between what feels morally right and what is strictly expressed in the text.
Final Answer:
Neither conclusion I nor conclusion II can be definitely drawn from the statement. So the correct answer is “Neither conclusion I nor conclusion II follows.”
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