Analyze the logical structures of the following four excerpts from various disciplines. Which abstract description best identifies the logical flaw in each argument? Match each flawed argument to its corresponding reasoning error.
- The newly appointed director of the historical archives argued that the institution must become more accessible to the public. Thus, by investing heavily in physical ramps and widening the museum's doorways, the director is demonstrably fulfilling her mandate for greater accessibility.Trades on an ambiguity with respect to a critical term, shifting between its conceptual and literal meanings.
- According to classical taxonomy, any marine organism exhibiting bilateral symmetry and a closed circulatory system will invariably possess a defined central nervous system. The abyssal creature C. luminosa possesses a central nervous system; therefore, it undeniably exhibits bilateral symmetry and a closed circulatory system.Takes a condition that is necessary for a particular classification to apply as a condition that is sufficient for it to apply.
- In the intricate design of the revolutionary quantum processor, each individual superconducting qubit operates with a negligible error rate. Consequently, the processor in its entirety, which synchronizes thousands of such qubits, must also operate with a negligible overall error rate.Infers that a whole entity must have a certain property on the grounds that each of its constituent parts has that property.
- The collapse of the civic theater initiative stems from either a deficit in philanthropic funding or profound community disinterest. Yet municipal financial records reveal an unprecedented surge in philanthropic arts donations this year. Therefore, the initiative's collapse was undoubtedly caused by profound community disinterest.Takes for granted that two specified explanations for a failure are the only possible explanations.
Answer
The archives argument pairs with the equivocation flaw; the taxonomy argument pairs with the sufficient-necessary confusion; the quantum processor argument pairs with the composition flaw; and the civic theater argument pairs with the false dilemma.
Each argument exhibits a distinct structural flaw that corresponds to a specific abstract description. The archives argument shifts the meaning of a key term. The taxonomy argument illegitimately reverses a conditional statement. The quantum argument assumes the whole shares the exact property of its parts. The theater argument ignores alternative explanations, presenting a false dichotomy.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Parallel Flaw