LNAT Critical Analysis 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A passage argues: 'Allowing euthanasia will lead to pressure on the elderly to end their lives, then to killing disabled people, then eventually to state-mandated death.' This is an example of:
- False dichotomy
- Slippery slope fallacy (Correct answer)
- Appeal to authority
- Hasty generalization
Correct answer: Slippery slope fallacy
The argument assumes each step will inevitably lead to the next without providing evidence for that chain of causation.
Question 2: Which of the following is the best definition of a 'sound' argument?
- An argument that uses persuasive language
- An argument that is both valid and has all true premises (Correct answer)
- An argument accepted by a majority of experts
- An argument free of any counterexamples
Correct answer: An argument that is both valid and has all true premises
A sound argument must be logically valid (conclusion follows from premises) and all its premises must actually be true.
Question 3: A researcher finds that schools with more computers have better test results. The local government then buys computers for all failing schools. What assumption underlies this decision?
- Better test results always follow from computer purchases
- The correlation between computers and results is causal, not merely associative (Correct answer)
- Students prefer using computers to traditional textbooks
- Failing schools have fewer computers than successful ones
Correct answer: The correlation between computers and results is causal, not merely associative
The government assumes computers cause better results, but the association could be explained by other variables like school funding or demographics.
Question 4: Which of the following is NOT a legitimate way to strengthen an inductive argument?
- Increasing the sample size
- Ensuring the sample is representative
- Eliminating alternative explanations
- Defining terms more precisely in the conclusion (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Defining terms more precisely in the conclusion
Redefining terms in the conclusion does not add evidential weight; strengthening inductive arguments requires better evidence, not linguistic adjustments.
Question 5: A politician says: 'My opponent voted against the defense budget, which shows he wants our country to be attacked.' What rhetorical technique is being used?
- Euphemism
- Hyperbole with charitable interpretation
- Unwarranted inference / straw man (Correct answer)
- Appeal to tradition
Correct answer: Unwarranted inference / straw man
Voting against a specific budget does not logically entail wanting the country to be attacked; the politician fabricates an extreme motive.
Question 6: In formal logic, which of the following is a contrapositive of 'If it rains, then the game is cancelled'?
- If the game is not cancelled, then it did not rain (Correct answer)
- If it does not rain, then the game is not cancelled
- If the game is cancelled, then it rained
- The game is cancelled only when it rains heavily
Correct answer: If the game is not cancelled, then it did not rain
The contrapositive of 'If P then Q' is 'If not Q then not P,' which is logically equivalent to the original statement.
Question 7: A passage claims: 'No one has ever proven that ghosts do not exist; therefore, ghosts exist.' What fallacy does this commit?
- Appeal to ignorance (argumentum ad ignorantiam) (Correct answer)
- Hasty generalization
- False equivalence
- Begging the question
Correct answer: Appeal to ignorance (argumentum ad ignorantiam)
The absence of disproof is not evidence of truth; this argument wrongly treats lack of counter-evidence as positive evidence.
LNAT Critical Analysis 4
A passage argues: 'Allowing euthanasia will lead to pressure on the elderly to end their lives, then to killing disabled people, then eventually to state-mandated death.' This is an example of: