Critical Evaluation of Arguments Flashcards
7 cards from real HBRI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Critical Evaluation of Arguments flashcards as text
A report states: 'Sales increased in every region where we ran TV ads.' A colleague concludes TV ads cause sales increases. What additional information would most weaken this conclusion?
Answer: The regions with TV ads also had newly hired sales teams during the same period
If regions also received new sales teams simultaneously, the sales increase could be attributed to the sales force rather than the ads.
Which of the following represents a conclusion that goes beyond what the evidence supports?
Answer: Because our top performer works 60-hour weeks, all employees should work 60-hour weeks to maximize productivity
One person's habits cannot be universalized to all employees without evidence that long hours universally cause higher productivity.
An argument is described as 'sound.' What does this mean?
Answer: It is logically valid AND all its premises are true
Soundness in logic requires both formal validity (the conclusion follows from premises) and factual accuracy of the premises themselves.
A team proposes that customer lifetime value (CLV) is declining. Which evidence best supports this claim?
Answer: Average revenue per customer in year 3 fell from $4,200 to $3,800 across three consecutive cohorts
A consistent drop in revenue per customer across multiple cohorts over multiple years is direct, quantified evidence of declining CLV.
Which of the following is an example of circular reasoning?
Answer: Our strategy is effective because it works, and we know it works because it is effective
Circular reasoning restates the conclusion as its own justification without providing independent evidence.
A business argument states: 'Either we lay off 20% of staff or the company will go bankrupt.' This is most likely an example of:
Answer: A false dichotomy presenting only two options when others may exist
A false dichotomy artificially limits choices; the company could also restructure debt, reduce expenses in other ways, or seek new funding.
A marketing director says: 'Our ad campaign must be working — sales went up right after we launched it.' An analyst responds that this conclusion may be premature. The analyst is most likely pointing to:
Answer: The post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy — assuming causation from temporal sequence alone
Post hoc ergo propter hoc is the error of concluding that because B followed A, A caused B, without ruling out other causes.