Dr. Aris: "To reduce municipal water waste during droughts, the city council should implement a tiered pricing structure that charges commercial users higher rates per gallon once their consumption exceeds baseline operational needs."
Council Member: "Dr. Aris's proposal is entirely unviable. If we completely prohibit commercial enterprises from using city water, local manufacturing will collapse and thousands of residents will lose their jobs."
Which of the following best describes the logical flaw in the council member's response?
- It distorts the original proposal into an extreme position that is easier to refute.Answer
- BIt relies on a key term whose definition subtly shifts between the premise and the conclusion.
- CIt assumes that because commercial water usage coincides with economic growth, water usage causes economic prosperity.
- DIt treats a condition that is necessary for economic stability as though it were sufficient to guarantee prosperity.
- EIt draws a broad conclusion about municipal employment based on data from an unrepresentative sample of local manufacturers.
Answer
The council member's argument distorts the original proposal into an extreme position that is easier to refute.
The correct answer accurately identifies the Straw Man flaw. Dr. Aris recommends higher pricing for consumption exceeding baseline operational needs. The council member responds by claiming Dr. Aris wants to 'completely prohibit' commercial water use. By attacking an extreme version of the plan that was never suggested, the council member commits a classic Straw Man fallacy.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Straw Man Fallacy