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#26201
Complete Question Explanation

Flaw in the Reasoning. The correct answer choice is (D)

The conclusion of this argument is that the proposed approach would damage commercial fishing operations. The only reason provided as to why it would damage these operations is that 20,000 people have signed petitions opposing the approach and favoring an alternative approach. This is a clear example of an Appeal Fallacy. The fact that a large number of people oppose a certain approach does not establish that the approach will damage fishing operations.

Answer Choice (A): This answer choice describes a Straw Man argument. While this answer choice does describe an error in reasoning, it is not describing the flaw that occurred in this particular argument. The argument here never addressed the specifics of the editor’s view or the approach in question, and so could not distort that view. The argument simply said the approach would be damaging and offered the opinion of 20,000 people to support that assertion.

Answer Choice (B): This answer choice is tempting, yet incorrect. Although the author did indeed fail to establish that the alternative approach was viable, she was under no obligation to do so. The author’s argument is simply that one particular approach will be harmful, not that an alternative approach is necessarily better. The author never personally advocates the use of sand-capped pits. Therefore, her failure to establish the viability of the alternative approach is not a flaw.

These types of answer choices are very common on Flaw in the Reasoning questions. They often discuss something the author “failed” to do. When you look back to the stimulus, it is apparent that the author failed to do what the answer choice describes, and so these answers can be very tempting. However, you must be certain that the failure is actually something the author needed to do in the argument. In other words, you must identify whether the failure is actually a mistake.

Answer Choice (C): This answer choice is incorrect. The intent of the author is irrelevant to the validity of the argument.

Answer Choice (D): This is the correct answer choice. Unless the author establishes that these 20,000 people are somehow experts on the issue, this argument is simply an appeal to popular opinion. An argument cannot rest on the mere fact that a high number of people agree with it. Without sufficient expertise, the opinion of this large group of people is irrelevant, and the argument is flawed.

Answer Choice (E): This answer choice is describing a False Dilemma and is incorrect. The author did not assume that only two options existed in this situation. The author simply uses the opinion of 20,000 people to support his criticism of the editor’s proposal.
 mN2mmvf
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#38912
Why should we expect that the people whose opinions are being expressed be experts? I feel like I've encountered other questions in which it is a logical *flaw* to appeal to authority alone.
 Adam Tyson
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#39514
It's true that an appeal to an expert does not prove that a claim is true, mN2mmvf, but that doesn't mean that it isn't still a good idea! An expert saying something might make us more convinced that it is true, strengthening a claim, and showing that someone making a claim is not an expert, while it won't prove they are wrong, might still weaken the argument by introducing the idea that those people might not know what they are talking about.

In short, experts help but do not prove, and a lack of expertise weakens but does not disprove. The flaw here doesn't make the conclusion false, but it is nonetheless a weakness in the argument. For all we know, the people that signed did so just to get the guy with the survey to leave their front step!
 mN2mmvf
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#39520
Thanks Adam. I definitely see that the argument would have been better if the people cited were experts. I just struggle knowing why it's necessary for the argument.

I was very tempted by (B), and the explanation for why that's wrong was that "Although the author did indeed fail to establish that the alternative approach was viable, she was under no obligation to do so...you must be certain that the failure is actually something the author needed to do in the argument." Well, why was citing experts something that the author "needed to do in the argument"? If expertise is something that helps but does not prove, why is (D) better than (B)?
 Adam Tyson
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#39523
Good question! The reason that proving the alternative is viable is not necessary is because the author isn't trying, at least explicitly, to prove that. Instead, he is only trying to prove that the original proposal is not a good one. We don't need to believe the alternative is good in order to believe the original is bad, but since the entire body of evidence against the original proposal is the 20,000 folks who said they didn't like it, then we need to know that those people know what they are talking about. The new proposal might be junk, but the original could also be junk. The new people not knowing what they are talking about takes away all evidence for the conclusion, and that is a much bigger deal.

Does that distinction make sense?
 mN2mmvf
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#39527
Yes - thank you!
 ShannonOh22
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#70959
I have a similar question to the one posted above, regarding "intent" or "requirements" that the author must make/have in an argument. This is a consistent problem for me, as I don't think I quite understand where to draw the line between accepting certain parts of the stimuli, and calling into question other parts, seemingly at random. (I know that isn't the case, but bear with me...trying to explain my confusion can be confusing!)

Does E) not apply to this question? I understand there is nothing stated explicitly in the argument that says "these are the only two options, so obviously your horrible idea that ruins fishing for everyone needs to go, and the sand-capped pits are our answer!"

BUT...this is never how an author presents a false dilemma in an argument. There is always some element of the author "taking for granted" something or other...which means it will not be stated in the stimulus. By addressing only one other option, aside from the original proposal that damages fishing operations, does the author not imply those are the TWO options to choose from?

It would be a different story if the author wrote something like "your proposal hurts fishing, so according to these 20,000 signatures on my petition, we need to come up with some other solution to the dredge disposal problem"...in that case, the flaw is quite clearly..."great, but who are these 20,000 people, and why does their opinion matter?"

Please help me understand how I can safely (and quickly) eliminate incorrect false dilemma ACs in a situation like this. Something is not computing in my brain. :-? Thank you!
 James Finch
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#70972
Hi Shannon,

It sounds like going back to basics and quickly identifying the conclusion along with the premises would help. Here, the letter's author is trying to conclude a factual statement, that the proposal would damage fishing operations, based only on the premise that 20k people signed a petition against it. So the conclusion is trying to prove that the proposal would damage something, not that there are only two potential choices or that one choice is better than another. A false dilemma would require the stimulus to be invalidly concluding that there are only two possible options, or that one option is the best solution, based on an assumption that there are only two possible options.

Hope this helps!
 grunerlokka
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#81590
I understand why D is the correct answer, but isn't it a stretch to call signing a petition 'a testimony'? Is there a nuance I am missing?
 Adam Tyson
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#81656
I wouldn't say that's a stretch at all, grunerlokka! Testimony is just a fancy way of saying "someone said it," although typically it's used for something more formal than just casual conversation. It doesn't necessarily mean that it was a sworn statement, or that it was used in a legal proceeding, or that it was in any way special or of a minimum level of quality or competency. In fact, "testimony" doesn't even need to be true! It's just something that someone said, in writing or orally, that was intended to be a formal statement of some sort. Signing a petition is for sure a form of testimony! The signer is "testifying" that they agree with the written words to which they signed their name.

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