Single choice · #97
Which of the following situations is most suitable for applying the law of excluded middle?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: B
- AA customer satisfaction survey on after-sales service: "Very satisfied, satisfied, neutral, dissatisfied."✗ Satisfaction inherently involves degrees, not just two mutually exclusive states like "satisfied" and "dissatisfied," so the law of excluded middle's either-or does not apply.
- BThe contract states that "the product casing must pass a 72-hour salt spray test," and a quality inspector judges whether it is qualified.✓ The contract provides a clear and testable standard; whether the casing is qualified is an unambiguous binary judgment, which is exactly the scenario for the law of excluded middle.
- CThe marketing department discusses whether marketing plan A or plan B is better.✗ 'Better' is a comparative judgment involving multiple dimensions and preferences, with no natural binary boundary, so the law of excluded middle does not apply.
- DAn engineer analyzes the cause of sudden equipment shutdown.✗ There could be multiple causes; without sufficient evidence, one cannot definitively identify a single cause. This is a case of insufficient evidence pending investigation, not the kind of vague expression the law of excluded middle addresses.
Explanation:The law of excluded middle applies to problems with clear boundaries. The contract stipulates a specific salt spray test with an explicit acceptance standard, leaving only a binary choice; the satisfaction survey involves graded evaluation, comparing two marketing plans is a comparative judgment, and analyzing the cause of equipment shutdown involves multiple possible causes with insufficient evidence—none of these are typical contexts for the law of excluded middle.