Which fallacy occurs when the minor term is distributed in the conclusion but not in the minor premise?

• A. Illicit Major
• B. Illicit Minor
• C. Undistributed Middle
• D. Exclusive Premises

Answer: (B)

The fallacy rests on how terms are distributed in a syllogism. A term is distributed when the proposition makes a claim about all members of that term’s class. In a standard syllogism, the minor term is the subject of the conclusion and also appears in the minor premise.

If the conclusion distributes the minor term (for example, saying All S are P or No S are P), but the minor premise does not distribute that same term (for instance, Some S are M), this moves from a universal claim about S without having established S’s distribution in the premises. That mismatch is illicit.

A clear example: No M are P is the major premise. Some S are M is the minor premise. From these, the conclusion All S are P would be drawn. Here, the minor term S is distributed in the conclusion (All S are P) but is not distributed in the minor premise (Some S are M), so the argument commits illicit minor.

That’s why this choice is the best one: it captures the exact distribution mismatch between the conclusion and the minor premise.