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Zorluk: KolayWeakening Arguments

A logistics company recently provided ergonomic mechanical keyboards to all data-entry clerks at its main fulfillment facility, while clerks at its secondary facility continued using standard keyboards. Over the following six months, reported cases of repetitive wrist strain at the main facility dropped by 40 percent compared to the previous year, whereas reported cases at the secondary facility remained unchanged. Management concluded that replacing standard keyboards with ergonomic mechanical keyboards was responsible for the reduction in wrist strain injuries. Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the management's argument?

  1. A
    Prior laboratory studies on ergonomics indicated that typing on mechanical switches significantly reduces muscle fatigue in the hands.
  2. At the start of the six-month period, the main facility introduced automated voice-recognition software that reduced the average daily hours clerks spent typing by half.Cevap
  3. C
    Clerks at the secondary facility expressed higher dissatisfaction with their working conditions than did clerks at the main facility.
  4. D
    Ergonomic mechanical keyboards are substantially more expensive to purchase and maintain than standard keyboards.
  5. E
    The company plans to upgrade the computer monitors at both facilities within the next fiscal year.

Cevap

The argument is most seriously weakened by the statement that the main facility introduced automated voice-recognition software that halved the daily typing time required of clerks.
The correct answer introduces a major confounding variable: at the same time the keyboards were deployed, automated software cut the daily typing load of clerks by half. Because reduced typing duration directly lowers repetitive strain risk, this alternative cause accounts for the drop in injury claims without requiring the keyboards to be responsible.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Identify the conclusion and main evidence of the argument.
Premise: Wrist strain claims fell 40% at the main facility after new keyboards were introduced, but stayed constant at the secondary facility. Conclusion: The new keyboards caused the drop in wrist strain claims.
Understanding the premise-to-conclusion structure isolates the causal claim being made.
2
Determine the flaw or vulnerability in the causal reasoning.
The argument assumes that no other factor changed at the main facility during the six-month trial that could explain the drop in strain claims.
To weaken a causal claim based on a comparison, look for an unaddressed alternative cause that co-occurred with the intervention.
3
Evaluate the choices to find an alternative cause for the outcome.
The statement introducing voice-recognition software provides a compelling alternative cause (fewer hours of typing), which explains the 40% decrease independently of the keyboard design.
An alternative explanation breaks the direct causal link between the keyboards and the injury reduction.

Anahtar Kavram

Weakening Causal Arguments via Alternative Causes
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Konular

Weakening Arguments

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