Critical Evaluation of Arguments Flashcards

A manager argues: 'Our competitor released a new product last quarter and their profits rose 20%. We should release a new product to increase our profits.' What is the primary weakness in this argument?

Answer: The argument assumes correlation implies causation without ruling out other factors

The argument assumes the profit increase was caused by the new product, ignoring other variables like market conditions, pricing changes, or cost cuts.

Which of the following best strengthens the argument that remote work increases employee productivity?

Answer: A controlled study showing output per hour increased 15% after switching to remote work

A controlled study with measurable output data directly supports the productivity claim with empirical evidence.

A company reports: 'Satisfaction scores rose after we introduced free coffee.' A skeptic says this proves nothing about satisfaction drivers. The skeptic's position is best supported by which observation?

Answer: The company also reduced meeting frequency and redesigned workspaces at the same time

Concurrent changes (fewer meetings, redesigned workspaces) are confounding variables that make it impossible to attribute satisfaction gains to coffee alone.

An executive concludes: 'Every successful company in our industry uses agile methodology, so adopting agile will make us successful.' This reasoning is flawed because:

Answer: Success may have preceded agile adoption, or agile may be a result rather than a cause of success

The argument confuses the direction of causation; successful companies may have adopted agile after becoming successful, or a third factor (e.g., strong talent) caused both.

Which argument is logically valid?

Answer: All regulated industries require compliance reports; healthcare is a regulated industry; therefore healthcare requires compliance reports

This follows a valid deductive structure: universal premise → classification → valid conclusion, with no logical gaps.

A division head argues against budget cuts by saying: 'If you cut our budget, morale will drop, then turnover will spike, then we'll lose institutional knowledge, and ultimately the whole company will fail.' This type of reasoning is known as:

Answer: Slippery slope

A slippery slope argument chains a series of speculative consequences without demonstrating that each step necessarily leads to the next.

Two employees debate a policy change. Employee A says it will save costs; Employee B says it will hurt culture. The strongest counter-argument Employee A could make is:

Answer: Data from similar companies shows cost savings were achieved without measurable culture decline

Empirical evidence from comparable situations directly addresses the concern while supporting the cost-saving claim.