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Difficulty: MediumGeneral Method of Reasoning

City Council Member: Some residents argue that our town should ban all commercial development in the historic district on the grounds that such development inherently alters the character of the neighborhood. But if we accept the premise that any alteration of character is sufficient justification for a prohibition, we would also be forced to ban the restoration of dilapidated residential properties, since those renovations also drastically alter the neighborhood's current character. Thus, the residents' rationale is unsound.

Which of the following most accurately describes the method of reasoning used by the city council member?

  1. attempting to undermine a position by demonstrating that the principle underlying it would lead to an unacceptable consequenceAnswer
  2. B
    rejecting a proposed policy by disputing the factual accuracy of the evidence provided in its favor
  3. C
    arguing that an opponent's position is flawed because it relies on an ambiguous interpretation of a key term
  4. D
    introducing external evidence to establish a conclusion that goes beyond what can be logically inferred
  5. E
    challenging an argument by treating a statement intended only as background context as a central premise

Answer

The correct answer is the option stating that the argument attempts to undermine a position by demonstrating that the principle underlying it would lead to an unacceptable consequence.
The correct answer accurately captures the argumentative technique known as reductio ad absurdum. The council member abstracts the general rule from the residents' argument ('any alteration of character is sufficient justification for a prohibition') and applies it to a universally accepted good ('restoration of dilapidated residential properties') to prove that the rule cannot be sound.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the structure of the council member's argument.
The council member summarizes the residents' position and their supporting premise (commercial development alters character).
To accurately understand the target of the council member's critique.
2
Identify the core logical move made by the council member.
The member extracts the implicit principle behind the residents' argument (altering character justifies a ban) and applies it to a different scenario (restoring dilapidated homes).
To isolate the specific method of reasoning being employed.
3
Determine the purpose of applying the principle to a new scenario.
The council member shows that applying the principle strictly would result in banning positive renovations, which is an absurd or unacceptable outcome, thereby invalidating the principle.
To abstract the rhetorical strategy into formal terms.
4
Evaluate the answer choices against this abstract description.
The correct option must describe the strategy of taking an opponent's principle and showing it yields an unacceptable consequence elsewhere.
To select the option that perfectly matches the structural analysis of the stimulus.

Key Concept

General Method of Reasoning
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General Method of Reasoning

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