Match each argument below to the piece of new evidence that most directly weakens its conclusion.
- Mayor Smith's popularity must be declining because attendance at her town hall meetings is much lower this year.All town hall meetings are now broadcast live online, allowing citizens to easily watch from home.
- City roads are more dangerous than rural roads because a significantly larger total number of car accidents happen in the city.City drivers collectively drive millions more miles per day than rural drivers do.
- The new gym will be highly profitable because it is opening right next to a busy organic grocery store.Customers of the organic grocery store strongly prefer outdoor activities and rarely purchase indoor gym memberships.
- The herbal tea cures insomnia, as all participants in a recent study reported better sleep after drinking it for a week.The participants in the study were simultaneously given prescription sleep medication by the researchers.
Answer
Mayor Smith matches to online broadcasts; City roads match to more miles driven; New gym matches to outdoor preference; Herbal tea matches to prescription medication.
Each correct match directly exploits a specific logical flaw in the argument's reasoning. By introducing alternate explanations, distinguishing totals from rates, attacking unwarranted business assumptions, or introducing confounding variables, the new evidence demonstrates that the original conclusions do not necessarily follow from their premises.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Evaluating Arguments: Weakening