ieGAT Critical Thinking and Argumentation 3

Question 1

A researcher concludes: 'Countries with higher chocolate consumption have more Nobel laureates per capita; therefore, eating chocolate boosts cognitive performance.' Which statement best identifies the error?

Accepted Answer

Wealth is a confounding variable — richer countries afford more chocolate and also invest more in education and research.

Answer

The researcher used too large a dataset.

Answer

Nobel prizes are not a valid measure of cognitive performance.

Answer

The researcher should have used a control group.

Question 2

Which of the following arguments is logically valid?

Accepted Answer

All mammals breathe air. Dolphins are mammals. Therefore, dolphins breathe air.

Answer

All birds fly. Penguins are birds. Therefore, penguins fly.

Answer

If it rains, the ground gets wet. The ground is wet. Therefore, it rained.

Answer

Some athletes are vegetarians. John is a vegetarian. Therefore, John is an athlete.

Question 3

A manager says: 'We have always done it this way, and the company has been profitable, so we should continue.' Which fallacy is this?

Accepted Answer

Appeal to tradition

Answer

Sunk cost fallacy

Answer

Slippery slope

Answer

Red herring

Question 4

Which of the following best represents a valid modus tollens argument?

Accepted Answer

If the system fails, alerts trigger. Alerts did not trigger. Therefore, the system did not fail.

Answer

If demand rises, prices rise. Demand rose. Therefore, prices rose.

Answer

If revenue grows, bonuses are paid. Revenue did not grow. Therefore, bonuses were not paid.

Answer

Taxes increase, so consumer spending falls. Consumer spending fell. Therefore, taxes increased.

Question 5

An entrepreneur argues: 'Critics said social media would ruin communication, but it has connected billions of people. Critics must be wrong about artificial intelligence harming jobs too.' What is the main flaw?

Accepted Answer

Being wrong about one prediction does not make a critic wrong about an entirely different prediction.

Answer

The argument is well-reasoned by analogy.

Answer

Social media and AI are too similar to compare.

Answer

The argument relies on insufficient statistical data.

Question 6

Which of the following best describes circular reasoning?

Accepted Answer

Using a premise as its own evidence: 'This policy is good because it is beneficial.'

Answer

Concluding that A causes B because B causes A.

Answer

Assuming that what is true of the whole is true of each part.

Answer

Drawing a conclusion before examining all evidence.

Question 7

A business school applicant argues: 'My GMAT score is in the 95th percentile, so I will definitely succeed in the MBA program.' Which assumption is most critical to examine?

Accepted Answer

GMAT scores are the sole determinant of MBA success.

Answer

MBA programs are academically rigorous.

Answer

The applicant took the GMAT under standard conditions.

Answer

Other applicants also scored highly on the GMAT.