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Difficulty: HardComposition and Division (Part to Whole)

Literary Critic: In her latest novel, every individual chapter ends with a definitive resolution to the conflicts introduced within that specific chapter. Therefore, the novel as a whole must provide readers with a definitive resolution to its overarching narrative.

Which one of the following arguments contains a flawed pattern of reasoning most similar to the one exhibited by the literary critic's argument?

  1. Every single component used in the assembly of this industrial printing press is remarkably lightweight. Therefore, the printing press as a whole must be remarkably lightweight.Answer
  2. B
    The newly constructed metropolitan transit system is highly efficient and rarely experiences delays. Thus, it is certain that every single train operating within the system is highly efficient and rarely experiences delays.
  3. C
    A significantly larger percentage of employees in the accounting department received bonuses this year compared to the marketing department. Therefore, the accounting department must have awarded a greater total number of bonuses than the marketing department.
  4. D
    Most of the musicians in the city's symphony orchestra are classically trained, and most classically trained musicians have studied abroad. Therefore, most of the musicians in the city's symphony orchestra must have studied abroad.
  5. E
    To be considered a true masterpiece, a film must be universally moving. Since this documentary thoroughly details the universally moving phenomenon of planetary orbits, it must be considered a true masterpiece.

Answer

The argument concluding that an industrial printing press must be remarkably lightweight because every single component used in its assembly is remarkably lightweight.
The critic's argument exhibits a part-to-whole composition fallacy by assuming that because every individual part (the chapters) has a specific characteristic (ending with a definitive resolution), the entire entity (the novel) must also possess that exact same characteristic. The correct option identically matches this flawed structure by erroneously concluding that because every individual part of a machine (the components) is remarkably lightweight, the entire machine (the assembled printing press) must also be remarkably lightweight, completely ignoring the fact that a large quantity of lightweight parts will combine to create a heavy whole.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the structure of the literary critic's argument.
Premise: Every individual part (chapter) has property X (definitive resolution). Conclusion: The whole entity (the novel) has property X (definitive resolution).
Identifying the core premise and conclusion is necessary to abstract the logical pattern.
2
Identify the specific logical flaw in the critic's reasoning.
The argument commits the Fallacy of Composition (Part-to-Whole).
It erroneously assumes that what is true of the individual components must inherently be true of the collective whole.
3
Evaluate the answer choices to find the argument that strictly follows this Part-to-Whole flawed structure.
The argument concerning the industrial printing press matches this structure perfectly.
It takes a property of the individual parts (components being remarkably lightweight) and invalidly concludes that the whole (the assembled printing press) must share that exact property, ignoring that many lightweight parts can create a very heavy whole.

Key Concept

Fallacy of Composition (Part to Whole)
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Topics

Composition and Division (Part to Whole)

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