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Difficulty: MediumFlaw in the Reasoning

City Planner: In order for the municipality to achieve its statutory carbon-reduction targets by 2030, the transit department must replace all diesel-powered municipal buses with zero-emission electric vehicles. According to recent procurement records, the transit department will successfully complete this transition to an all-electric fleet before the end of 2028. Thus, we can be confident that the municipality will achieve its statutory carbon-reduction targets by 2030.

Which of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the city planner's reasoning?

  1. A
    rejects the possibility that municipal carbon emissions could be reduced through methods other than electrifying the bus fleet
  2. treats a condition that is required for achieving an outcome as though it were sufficient to guarantee that outcomeAnswer
  3. C
    relies on an assumption that all other municipal departments will always fail to reduce their carbon output
  4. D
    mistakes an intermediate conclusion regarding bus fleet procurement for the main conclusion of the argument
  5. E
    disputes the factual accuracy of the procurement records without providing contradictory evidence

Answer

The argument is flawed because it treats a condition that is necessary for achieving an outcome as though it were sufficient to guarantee that outcome.
The premise sets up bus electrification as a prerequisite (a necessary condition) for achieving statutory carbon-reduction targets. By inferring that completing this electrification project ensures the attainment of the overarching targets, the speaker mistakenly treats a necessary condition as a sufficient one. Other sectors or municipal emissions sources could still cause the city to fall short of its overall targets.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Isolate the premises and the main conclusion of the argument
Premise 1: Achieving carbon-reduction targets requires full bus fleet electrification (Targets → Electrification). Premise 2: Electrification will be completed by 2028. Conclusion: The municipality will achieve its carbon-reduction targets.
Deconstructing the argument into formal components clarifies the relationship between the evidence presented and the claim asserted.
2
Evaluate the conditional relationship linking the premise to the conclusion
Bus electrification is stated with the indicator 'in order for... must', denoting a necessary condition. Satisfying a necessary condition does not guarantee the occurrence of the sufficient condition.
Identifying conditional indicator words reveals whether a condition is necessary or sufficient.
3
Match the logical error to the correct descriptive statement
The planner commits a conditional error by assuming that fulfilling a necessary requirement is sufficient to ensure the desired end goal.
The correct choice must accurately describe the exact structural gap between the premises and the conclusion.

Key Concept

Distinguishing Necessary from Sufficient Conditions
Estimated Time:1m 20s
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Topics

Flaw in the Reasoning

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