Each of the following argumentative excerpts exhibits a distinct reasoning flaw. Match each argument on the left with the abstract description on the right that most accurately characterizes its primary logical error.
- Agronomist: Every individual grain silo inspected in the regional agricultural cooperative demonstrated flawless structural pest insulation this season. Therefore, the cooperative's entire post-harvest storage and distribution network as a whole is completely impervious to pest contamination.Infers that a complex system as a whole possesses a property solely on the grounds that each of its individual constituent components possesses that property.
- Epidemiologist: A municipal water purification protocol is fully effective only if the incidence of waterborne gastrointestinal illnesses in the district declines by at least 75 percent. Because clinical records indicate an 80 percent decline in such illnesses this year, the purification protocol was definitively fully effective.Mistakes a condition that is necessary for a certain state of affairs to obtain for a condition that is sufficient to guarantee that state of affairs.
- Literary Critic: The newly translated epic poem is an extraordinary work of genuine literary genius. This is evident because only pieces possessing profound creative mastery can be deemed works of genius, and this translation unmistakably exemplifies profound creative mastery.Offers as support for its central conclusion a premise that is logically equivalent to the claim being argued for.
- Policy Analyst: The regional transit authority must either authorize a substantial fare increase for commuter rail services or permanently eliminate all off-peak transit routes. Because eliminating off-peak transit routes is unacceptable to the public, the transit authority has no choice but to authorize the fare increase.Fails to consider that there may be viable alternatives beyond the two mutually exclusive courses of action presented.
Answer
The argument concerning grain silos matches the composition flaw (inferring whole from parts); the argument concerning water purification matches the confusion of necessity and sufficiency; the argument concerning the epic poem matches circular reasoning; and the argument concerning commuter rail matches the false dilemma.
Each excerpt contains a classic, distinct reasoning error: the agronomist commits an error of composition by attributing an attribute of parts to the collective whole; the epidemiologist confuses a necessary condition with a sufficient condition; the literary critic relies on circular reasoning by using a premise logically equivalent to the conclusion; and the policy analyst assumes a false dilemma by treating two options as the only possible outcomes.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Identifying Formal and Informal Reasoning Flaws
Estimated Time:2m 30s