Evaluating Written Arguments Flashcards
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An argument states: 'Either we increase defense spending or our nation will be vulnerable to attack.' What fallacy does this commit?
Answer: False dilemma
The argument presents only two options while ignoring other possibilities, such as diplomacy or alliances, making it a false dilemma.
Which of the following MOST strengthens the argument that regular physical exercise reduces symptoms of depression?
Answer: A randomised controlled trial found significant symptom reduction in exercising participants versus a control group
A randomised controlled trial with a control group provides the strongest causal evidence because it minimises confounding variables.
Passage: 'This policy has been in place for 50 years, so it must be effective.' This argument relies primarily on:
Answer: An appeal to tradition
The argument assumes something is good or correct simply because it has existed for a long time, which is an appeal to tradition.
A writer claims: 'No study has ever proven that this supplement is harmful, so it must be safe.' Which type of fallacy is this?
Answer: Appeal to ignorance
The absence of evidence against the supplement is treated as evidence of its safety, which is an appeal to ignorance.
An author argues that social media causes loneliness because lonely people use social media more. What is the most significant logical problem with this argument?
Answer: The argument confuses cause and effect
The argument reverses the plausible causal direction — loneliness may lead to more social media use rather than social media causing loneliness.
Which of the following is an example of a valid deductive argument?
Answer: If all mammals breathe air and whales are mammals, then whales breathe air
The argument follows a valid syllogism: a universal premise plus a specific case yields a logically necessary conclusion.
A health article states: 'Countries with higher chocolate consumption have more Nobel Prize winners per capita.' The author then argues that chocolate boosts brain function. What is the primary flaw?
Answer: The argument infers causation from a correlational statistic
A statistical correlation between two variables does not establish that one causes the other; a confounding factor like national wealth could explain both.