Argument Evaluation and Flaws Flashcards
7 cards from real ISAT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Argument Evaluation and Flaws flashcards as text
'Either you support this new law, or you want criminals to go free.' This statement is an example of:
Answer: False dichotomy
A false dichotomy presents only two options when other alternatives exist.
A study finds that cities with more hospitals have higher death rates. Which conclusion is most logically sound?
Answer: Sicker people go to cities with more hospitals, explaining the correlation
The higher death rates likely reflect that very ill patients congregate in cities with specialist hospitals, not that hospitals cause death.
Which of the following best describes 'circular reasoning' (begging the question)?
Answer: Using a premise that assumes the truth of the conclusion
Circular reasoning embeds the conclusion within the premises, making the argument self-referential rather than logically valid.
An argument concludes that teenagers are irresponsible based on the actions of three teenagers in the news. This is best described as:
Answer: Hasty generalisation
Drawing a broad conclusion from an unrepresentative or very small sample is a hasty generalisation.
Which feature of an argument most directly indicates it contains a 'red herring'?
Answer: Information introduced that distracts from the actual issue being debated
A red herring introduces irrelevant information to divert attention away from the real point of contention.
A school bans mobile phones and test scores improve the following term. A teacher concludes phones were hurting learning. Which evidence would most weaken this conclusion?
Answer: A new, more experienced teacher joined the school the same term
A confounding variable—the arrival of a better teacher—provides an alternative explanation for the score improvement.
Which of the following correctly identifies the flaw in this argument: 'Aspirin has been used for over a century, so it must be safe for everyone'?
Answer: Appeal to tradition ignores that age of use does not prove universal safety
Longevity of use (appeal to tradition) does not establish safety for all individuals or all conditions.