Argument and Evidence Analysis Flashcards
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Read the first 7 Argument and Evidence Analysis flashcards as text
A senator argues against a new tax reform bill by pointing out that its author was once convicted of tax fraud. This is an example of:
Answer: Ad hominem, attacking the person rather than the policy
The author's past does not logically determine whether the bill's content is good or bad policy — this is an ad hominem.
A passage presents the following: 'Every student who joined the tutoring program passed the exam. Maria joined the program. Therefore, Maria passed the exam.' This argument is:
Answer: Valid and sound if the premises are true.
The argument is a valid deductive syllogism; if both premises are true, the conclusion necessarily follows.
An advocacy group publishes a report showing their charity's program reduced poverty in one village. They conclude the program should be expanded nationally. Which is the strongest critique of this reasoning?
Answer: A single village may not be representative of the national context.
Generalizing from one case to an entire nation ignores local variation and potential confounders specific to that village.
A student writes: 'We must lower the voting age because young people deserve a voice.' What is the primary logical issue with this argument?
Answer: It assumes what needs to be proven — that lowering the age grants a meaningful voice.
Saying they 'deserve a voice' assumes the conclusion (lowering the age achieves this) rather than establishing it.
Which of the following is the best example of a counter-argument rather than a rebuttal?
Answer: Offering an alternative explanation that supports a competing conclusion.
A counter-argument introduces a new line of reasoning that supports a different conclusion, rather than just attacking the original.
A report claims: 'Countries with stricter gun laws have lower gun death rates.' A reader responds: 'But Switzerland has loose laws and low deaths.' This response is best characterized as:
Answer: A cherry-picked counterexample that may not represent the broader trend.
Selecting one exception to challenge a pattern derived from many countries is cherry-picking and does not disprove the general trend.
An author states that a policy 'will definitely eliminate unemployment.' Which word signals that scrutiny of this claim is warranted?
Answer: Definitely
The word 'definitely' asserts absolute certainty about a complex socioeconomic outcome, which is a red flag for an overreaching claim.