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Difficulty: MediumComposition and Division (Part to Whole)

The newly constructed Greenfield Office Building is the most energy-efficient commercial building in the state, utilizing 40 percent less energy overall than the industry average. Therefore, the HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system installed in the Greenfield Office Building must use significantly less energy than the industry average for HVAC systems.

The reasoning in the argument is flawed in that the argument...

  1. presumes, without providing justification, that what is true of a whole must also be true of its constituent partsAnswer
  2. B
    illogically draws a conclusion about absolute energy consumption from evidence concerning a percentage reduction
  3. C
    concludes a causal relationship between the building's overall efficiency and the HVAC system's performance based on a mere association
  4. D
    relies on a shift in the meaning of the term "energy-efficient" from the premise to the conclusion
  5. E
    fails to distinguish between a condition that guarantees a building is energy-efficient and one that is merely required for it to be energy-efficient

Answer

The argument incorrectly assumes that because the entire building is highly energy-efficient, a specific component of that building (the HVAC system) must also be highly energy-efficient.
The correct answer accurately diagnoses a classic Fallacy of Division. The author establishes that the building as a single, collective entity possesses a specific trait (utilizing far less energy than average). The author then illegitimately assigns that exact same trait to one specific component of the building. In reality, a whole can have a property that its individual parts lack.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the premise provided in the stimulus.
The entire Greenfield Office Building uses 40 percent less energy than the industry average.
Identifying the baseline fact establishes what we know about the 'whole'.
2
Analyze the argument's conclusion.
The building's HVAC system must use significantly less energy than an average HVAC system.
Identifying the conclusion shows what the author believes can be logically derived from the premise.
3
Identify the logical gap between the premise and the conclusion.
The argument moves directly from a characteristic of the entire building (the whole) to a characteristic of the HVAC system (a part).
The overall efficiency of the building could easily be achieved by other highly efficient parts (like exceptional insulation or LED lighting), even if the HVAC system itself is average or inefficient.

Key Concept

Fallacy of Division (assuming a part has a property simply because the whole has that property)
Estimated Time:1m 15s
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Topics

Composition and Division (Part to Whole)

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