Consider the given proverb like statement to be true and decide which of the given conclusions or assumptions can definitely be drawn from it. Statement: Honesty is the best policy. Conclusion I: All people should be honest. Conclusion II: Only some people should be honest. Choose the option that correctly identifies which conclusion or conclusions logically follow from the statement.

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.

  • Statement: Honesty is the best policy.
  • Conclusion I: All should be honest.
  • Conclusion II: Only some people should be honest.


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:

Step 1: Interpret the statement: “Honesty is the best policy” suggests that honesty is the most desirable or beneficial approach in general. Step 2: The statement does not mention “all people” or “only some people” directly. It simply evaluates one quality (honesty) as the best when compared to others. Step 3: Conclusion I says “All should be honest.” While this might sound morally appealing, it is not a logical necessity derived from the statement. The statement does not issue a universal directive to every person. Step 4: Conclusion II says “Only some people should be honest.” This is even more specific and contradicts the spirit of calling honesty the best policy. The original statement does not support restricting honesty to a subset of people.


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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