Match each flawed argument stimulus to the abstract description that most accurately identifies its reasoning error.
- Sociologist: A comprehensive ten-year study reveals that neighborhoods featuring numerous public parks consistently exhibit the highest levels of civic engagement. Therefore, city planners can directly foster community participation by investing in the construction of new green spaces.Concludes that one phenomenon produces another based entirely on evidence that they are frequently observed together.
- Business Analyst: Any corporation that successfully dominates its market sector possesses a highly adaptable executive board. Given that the leadership at OmniCorp has demonstrated extraordinary flexibility during recent industry shifts, the company is virtually guaranteed to achieve market dominance.Takes a requirement for a specific state of affairs to be a condition that ensures the realization of that state of affairs.
- Administrator: Critics allege that our institution is admitting a smaller total number of local residents than we did in the past. This is demonstrably false. Our internal records clearly show that local residents now comprise 35 percent of the incoming freshman class, a significant increase from just 22 percent five years ago.Draws an inference regarding an absolute magnitude from evidence that concerns only a fractional share.
- Ethicist: Some critics argue that the corporation's aggressive takeover strategy is deeply unfair to small competitors. However, fairness essentially means playing by the rules of the game. Since the corporation has meticulously followed every financial regulation and broken no laws, its strategy must be considered entirely fair.Trades on the ambiguity of a central concept by shifting from an ethical usage to a purely procedural definition mid-argument.
Answer
The Sociologist's argument demonstrates a correlation-causation flaw. The Business Analyst's argument demonstrates a necessary vs. sufficient flaw. The Administrator's argument demonstrates a percentage vs. number flaw. The Ethicist's argument demonstrates an equivocation flaw.
Each argument commits a classic logical fallacy. The Sociologist infers causation from correlation. The Business Analyst treats a necessary condition as a sufficient condition. The Administrator attempts to refute a claim about raw numbers using only percentage data. The Ethicist shifts the meaning of 'fairness' from an ethical standard to a strictly legal one.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Logical Reasoning: Flaw in the Reasoning