Architectural Historian: Most public monuments constructed primarily from porous sandstone suffer significant structural degradation within fifty years. Furthermore, every public monument that suffers significant structural degradation within fifty years requires extensive municipal restoration funding. Thus, it is clear that most public monuments requiring extensive municipal restoration funding were constructed primarily from porous sandstone.
The flawed pattern of reasoning in the architectural historian's argument is most closely paralleled in which of the following arguments?
- AMarine Biologist: Most pelagic fish species that inhabit deep-sea trenches possess bioluminescent organs. In addition, any fish species possessing bioluminescent organs is capable of visual signaling in complete darkness. Therefore, any fish species that is capable of visual signaling in complete darkness must inhabit deep-sea trenches.
- BConservator: Any historical building made from porous sandstone requires frequent chemical sealing to prevent moisture damage. Many historical buildings in the capital that undergo chemical sealing still experience structural degradation. Hence, most historical buildings in the capital that experience degradation are made from porous sandstone.
- Soil Scientist: Most commercial crops cultivated in high-salinity soils experience stunted root development. Moreover, all commercial crops that experience stunted root development exhibit reduced annual yields. Therefore, most commercial crops that exhibit reduced annual yields are cultivated in high-salinity soils.Answer
- DEpidemiologist: Most viral pathogens transmitted via respiratory droplets produce acute respiratory symptoms. Every viral pathogen that produces acute respiratory symptoms triggers a detectable antibody response. Consequently, most viral pathogens transmitted via respiratory droplets trigger a detectable antibody response.
- EEconomist: Most early-stage software startups that rely entirely on venture debt fail to achieve profitability within three years. However, any startup that fails to achieve profitability within three years cannot secure secondary institutional financing. Thus, no startup that secures secondary institutional financing relied entirely on venture debt.
Answer
The argument concerning commercial crops cultivated in high-salinity soils is correct because it exactly matches the quantifier structure and fallacy of the stimulus.
The correct choice perfectly mirrors the formal skeleton and logical flaw of the stimulus. In both arguments, the first premise asserts that most members of category A possess property B ('Most sandstone monuments degrade' / 'Most high-salinity crops suffer stunted roots'). The second premise states that all entities with property B possess property C ('All degraded monuments require funding' / 'All stunted crops have reduced yields'). The valid deduction from these premises is strictly that most A are C. However, both arguments fallaciously infer that most C are A ('Most funded monuments are sandstone' / 'Most reduced-yield crops are in high-salinity soil'), committing an identical quantifier conversion fallacy.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Parallel Flawed Reasoning with Quantifier Reversal
Estimated Time:2m 0s