Conditionals and necessary–sufficient conditions – UGC NET Question

Statements A, B, C, D and E correctly characterise material implication and the distinction between necessary and sufficient conditions, while F is false. “If p then q” is indeed false only when p is true and q is false, and necessary conditions are those without which an outcome cannot obtain. Sufficient conditions guarantee an outcome when they occur, and confusing the two leads to errors like affirming the consequent. In the rain example, rain is treated as sufficient for wet ground, though not necessary because there may be other causes. Statement F reverses the relation between square and rectangle, since being a square is sufficient but not necessary for being a rectangle. Hence A, B, C, D and E only is the correct combination.

Option A:
Option A is correct because it includes all five accurate statements and excludes F, which mislabels the necessity relation between square and rectangle. It reflects standard logical semantics and familiar examples used in reasoning questions. Thus this option represents the complete and correct set of statements.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect since it adds F to the otherwise correct set, thereby endorsing a false description of the relationship between squares and rectangles. Squares meet the definition of rectangles, so being a rectangle is necessary for being a square, not the other way round. Including F therefore makes this option unsound.

Option C:
Option C is wrong because it omits B, leaving out the explicit definition of a necessary condition. Without B, the account of conditionals and conditions is incomplete, even though A, C, D and E are true. Therefore A, C, D and E only cannot be chosen.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it leaves out A and includes F, thereby ignoring the truth condition of material implication and accepting a mistaken example. This combination does not accurately represent the full set of correct statements about conditionals.