Kaplan Critical Thinking 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A study finds that students who eat breakfast score higher on tests. A school board concludes that serving breakfast will raise scores. What flaw exists in this reasoning?
- The study used too small a sample
- Correlation does not establish causation (Correct answer)
- Test scores are not a valid measure of learning
- The conclusion contradicts the evidence
Correct answer: Correlation does not establish causation
The study shows correlation between breakfast and scores, but other variables (e.g., socioeconomic status) may explain both.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes a 'slippery slope' fallacy?
- Attacking the person making an argument rather than the argument itself
- Assuming one event will inevitably lead to extreme consequences without justification (Correct answer)
- Appealing to authority to validate a claim
- Drawing a conclusion that contradicts the premise
Correct answer: Assuming one event will inevitably lead to extreme consequences without justification
A slippery slope fallacy assumes a chain of events will follow from one action without sufficient evidence for each step.
Question 3: In an argument, a 'premise' is best defined as:
- The main conclusion the argument tries to establish
- A statement offered as a reason supporting the conclusion (Correct answer)
- An unstated assumption underlying the argument
- A counterexample that challenges the conclusion
Correct answer: A statement offered as a reason supporting the conclusion
A premise is a supporting statement provided as evidence or reasoning for the argument's conclusion.
Question 4: Maria argues: 'Everyone in my neighborhood drives a truck, so most Americans must drive trucks.' This is an example of:
- Hasty generalization (Correct answer)
- False dichotomy
- Circular reasoning
- Appeal to authority
Correct answer: Hasty generalization
Hasty generalization draws broad conclusions from an unrepresentative or insufficient sample.
Question 5: Which question best helps evaluate the strength of an analogy used in an argument?
- Is the analogy emotionally persuasive?
- Are the two things being compared similar in the relevant ways? (Correct answer)
- Is the analogy original?
- Does the analogy use technical language?
Correct answer: Are the two things being compared similar in the relevant ways?
A strong analogy requires that the two things compared share characteristics relevant to the point being argued.
Question 6: An argument is considered valid when:
- All its premises are true
- If the premises are true, the conclusion must be true (Correct answer)
- The conclusion is widely accepted
- It contains no counterarguments
Correct answer: If the premises are true, the conclusion must be true
Validity is a structural property: the conclusion follows necessarily from the premises, regardless of whether the premises are actually true.
Question 7: A writer states: 'We should either ban all social media or accept total societal collapse.' This is an example of:
- Ad hominem
- Straw man
- False dichotomy (Correct answer)
- Appeal to tradition
Correct answer: False dichotomy
A false dichotomy presents only two options when more possibilities exist, ignoring middle-ground or alternative solutions.
Kaplan Critical Thinking 2
A study finds that students who eat breakfast score higher on tests.
A school board concludes that serving breakfast will raise scores.
What flaw exists in this reasoning?