Match each argument excerpt with the logical method of reasoning it primarily employs.
- Just as a gardener must prune dead branches for a tree to thrive, a manager must sometimes dismiss underperforming employees for a company to succeed.Argument by analogy
- If we ban all activities that carry a risk of injury, we would have to ban cooking, exercising, and even walking down the street, which is obviously unacceptable.Deriving an absurd consequence
- The strange engine noise must be caused by the alternator, the water pump, or the belt. We know the water pump and belt are brand new and functioning perfectly, so it must be the alternator.Argument by elimination
- The author claims that all successful leaders are extroverts. However, history is full of highly effective leaders, such as Abraham Lincoln, who were noted introverts.Use of a counterexample
Answer
The gardener comparison is an analogy, the ban on risky activities derives an absurd consequence, the engine diagnosis uses elimination, and the introverted leader provides a counterexample.
Each argument excerpt explicitly demonstrates a distinct formal method of reasoning. The gardener comparison uses analogy; the safety ban uses reductio ad absurdum (deriving an absurd consequence); the car diagnosis uses elimination by ruling out alternatives; and the historical leader example uses a direct counterexample to refute a universal claim.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
General Method of Reasoning