Review the following argumentative passages and pair each excerpt with the abstract description that most accurately characterizes its primary method of reasoning.
- Some argue that autonomous vehicles should be banned from city centers until they achieve a zero-accident rate. But this standard is unreasonable. We allow human drivers on the road even though they cause thousands of accidents daily. We do not demand perfection from humans; we only expect them to meet a certain threshold of competence. We should apply a similar threshold to autonomous systems.Criticizing a proposed standard by demonstrating its inconsistency with accepted practices in a relevantly similar context.
- A new proposal suggests that to eliminate wealth inequality, the government should simply print enough money to give every citizen a million dollars. However, if everyone suddenly possessed a million dollars, the purchasing power of the currency would collapse immediately. A loaf of bread would cost thousands of dollars, and real wealth disparities would remain unchanged or even worsen.Undermining a proposed policy by showing that its implementation would lead to consequences that defeat its original purpose.
- The sudden abandonment of the ancient settlement could only have resulted from three causes: a devastating disease, a natural disaster, or assimilation into local populations. Archaeological digs have uncovered no mass graves or signs of epidemic. Furthermore, geological records show no evidence of extreme weather events or earthquakes during that decade. We must conclude, therefore, that the inhabitants integrated with neighboring communities.Establishing a particular conclusion by systematically ruling out all other plausible explanations for a given phenomenon.
- Many biologists formerly maintained that all complex cooperative behavior in animals is strictly a result of kin selection, where individuals help only those with whom they share genetics. Yet, vampire bats routinely regurgitate blood to feed starving roost-mates to whom they are entirely unrelated, purely on the basis of past reciprocal sharing.Refuting a general scientific generalization by providing a specific instance that contradicts its core claim.
Answer
The autonomous vehicles passage matches with criticizing a standard via inconsistency with a similar context (Analogy). The wealth inequality passage matches with undermining a policy by showing it defeats its own purpose (Reductio ad absurdum). The ancient settlement passage matches with establishing a conclusion by ruling out other explanations (Elimination). The vampire bat passage matches with refuting a generalization by providing a specific instance (Counterexample).
Each passage employs a distinct, formal logical strategy. The first uses an analogy (comparing AI to humans). The second traces destructive consequences that thwart a goal. The third systematically eliminates alternative historical hypotheses. The fourth offers a direct counterexample to a scientific rule.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
General Method of Reasoning