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02 Jul 2024, 16:58
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B
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54% (02:04) correct
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All actions are motivated by self-interest, since any action that is apparently altruistic can be described in terms of self-interest. For example, helping someone can be described in terms of self-interest: the motivation is hope for a reward or other personal benefit to be bestowed as a result of the helping action.
Which one of the following most accurately describes an error in the argument’s reasoning?
(A) The term “self-interest” is allowed to shift in meaning over the course of the argument.
(B) The argument takes evidence showing merely that its conclusion could be true to constitute evidence showing that the conclusion is in fact true.
(C) The argument does not explain what is meant by “reward” and “personal benefit.”
(D) The argument ignores the possibility that what is taken to be necessary for a certain interest to be a motivation actually suffices to show that that interest is a motivation.
(E) The argument depends for its appeal only on the emotional content of the example cited.
Which one of the following most accurately describes an error in the argument’s reasoning?
(A) The term “self-interest” is allowed to shift in meaning over the course of the argument.
(B) The argument takes evidence showing merely that its conclusion could be true to constitute evidence showing that the conclusion is in fact true.
(C) The argument does not explain what is meant by “reward” and “personal benefit.”
(D) The argument ignores the possibility that what is taken to be necessary for a certain interest to be a motivation actually suffices to show that that interest is a motivation.
(E) The argument depends for its appeal only on the emotional content of the example cited.
03 Jul 2024, 05:53
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Hi, let me know if my reasoning is correct:
- A: self-interest was not exlplained and hence shifting it's meaning don't make sense.
- B: Obviously authors thinks that hope for a reward or other personal benefit was the only reason because of which someone help someone, what if he was doing a self-less service to a stranger, than entire reasoning falls.
- C: Argument is not dependent on them, centred around self-interest.
- D: in simpler terms, he says that author did not considered the possibility that 'hope for a reward or other personal benefit' was necessary for self-int that lead him to help others, maybe self-int was just enough to help others.
- E: not relevant.
- A: self-interest was not exlplained and hence shifting it's meaning don't make sense.
- B: Obviously authors thinks that hope for a reward or other personal benefit was the only reason because of which someone help someone, what if he was doing a self-less service to a stranger, than entire reasoning falls.
- C: Argument is not dependent on them, centred around self-interest.
- D: in simpler terms, he says that author did not considered the possibility that 'hope for a reward or other personal benefit' was necessary for self-int that lead him to help others, maybe self-int was just enough to help others.
- E: not relevant.
08 May 2026, 19:22
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All actions are motivated by self-interest, since any action that is apparently altruistic can be described in terms of self-interest. For example, helping someone can be described in terms of self-interest: the motivation is hope for a reward or other personal benefit to be bestowed as a result of the helping action.
In answering a Logical Flaw question, it's helpful to note the conclusion and how it's supported and to understand the reasoning of the argument.
Conclusion:
All actions are motivated by self-interest
Support for the conclusion:
any action that is apparently altruistic can be described in terms of self-interest
What we may notice about the argument is that it jumps from saying that apparently altruistic actions "can be described" in terms of self-interest to concluding that all actions are in fact motivated by self-interest.
That line of reasoning is weak. After all, the fact that actions can be described as being motivated by self-interest doesn't necessarily mean that all actions are in fact motivated by self-interest.
Which one of the following most accurately describes an error in the argument’s reasoning?
The correct answer will accurately describe an aspect of the argument that is flawed.
(A) The term “self-interest” is allowed to shift in meaning over the course of the argument.
This choice doesn't accurately describe the argument since the meaning of "self-interest" remains the same throughout the argument rather than shifts.
Eliminate.
(B) The argument takes evidence showing merely that its conclusion could be true to constitute evidence showing that the conclusion is in fact true.
This choice is perfect.
As we saw above, the argument jumps from the premise that apparently altruistic actions "can be described in terms of self-interest" to the conclusion that all actions are in fact motivated by self-interest.
That line of reasoning is flawed because the fact that actions "could" be described as being motivated by self-interest doesn't necessarily mean that they are in fact motivated by self-interest.
Keep.
(C) The argument does not explain what is meant by “reward” and “personal benefit.”
Since the terms "reward" and "personal benefit" are commonly understood and are used in a usual manner in the argument, the fact that the argument does not explain their meanings is not a flaw.
After all, it's not necessary for an argument to explain every word it uses.
Eliminate.
(D) The argument ignores the possibility that what is taken to be necessary for a certain interest to be a motivation actually suffices to show that that interest is a motivation.
The simplest and easiest way to eliminate this choice is to see that it goes in the wrong direction.
The argument wouldn't be flawed because it ignores something that possibly shows that self-interest is a motivation. After all, the argument concludes that self-interest is a motivation.
So, the possibility that something shows that self-interest is a motivation would be in line with the argument, and could constitute additional evidence supporting the conclusion.
The argument already has a premise to support its conclusion. The fact that it doesn't use an additional possible piece of evidence doesn't mean that it's flawed.
We could also consider the fact that the argument doesn't involve anything "taken to be necessary for a certain interest to be a motivation." So, it's not ignoring any such thing.
Either way, this choice is incorrect.
Eliminate.
(E) The argument depends for its appeal only on the emotional content of the example cited.
This does not accurately describe the argument.
After all, the argument does not depend on emotional content of the example. Rather, the argument uses the example, which doesn't have any noticeable emotional content, to illustrate in an unemotional way how apparently altruistic actions can be described in terms of self-interest.
Eliminate.
Correct answer: B
In answering a Logical Flaw question, it's helpful to note the conclusion and how it's supported and to understand the reasoning of the argument.
Conclusion:
All actions are motivated by self-interest
Support for the conclusion:
any action that is apparently altruistic can be described in terms of self-interest
What we may notice about the argument is that it jumps from saying that apparently altruistic actions "can be described" in terms of self-interest to concluding that all actions are in fact motivated by self-interest.
That line of reasoning is weak. After all, the fact that actions can be described as being motivated by self-interest doesn't necessarily mean that all actions are in fact motivated by self-interest.
Which one of the following most accurately describes an error in the argument’s reasoning?
The correct answer will accurately describe an aspect of the argument that is flawed.
(A) The term “self-interest” is allowed to shift in meaning over the course of the argument.
This choice doesn't accurately describe the argument since the meaning of "self-interest" remains the same throughout the argument rather than shifts.
Eliminate.
(B) The argument takes evidence showing merely that its conclusion could be true to constitute evidence showing that the conclusion is in fact true.
This choice is perfect.
As we saw above, the argument jumps from the premise that apparently altruistic actions "can be described in terms of self-interest" to the conclusion that all actions are in fact motivated by self-interest.
That line of reasoning is flawed because the fact that actions "could" be described as being motivated by self-interest doesn't necessarily mean that they are in fact motivated by self-interest.
Keep.
(C) The argument does not explain what is meant by “reward” and “personal benefit.”
Since the terms "reward" and "personal benefit" are commonly understood and are used in a usual manner in the argument, the fact that the argument does not explain their meanings is not a flaw.
After all, it's not necessary for an argument to explain every word it uses.
Eliminate.
(D) The argument ignores the possibility that what is taken to be necessary for a certain interest to be a motivation actually suffices to show that that interest is a motivation.
The simplest and easiest way to eliminate this choice is to see that it goes in the wrong direction.
The argument wouldn't be flawed because it ignores something that possibly shows that self-interest is a motivation. After all, the argument concludes that self-interest is a motivation.
So, the possibility that something shows that self-interest is a motivation would be in line with the argument, and could constitute additional evidence supporting the conclusion.
The argument already has a premise to support its conclusion. The fact that it doesn't use an additional possible piece of evidence doesn't mean that it's flawed.
We could also consider the fact that the argument doesn't involve anything "taken to be necessary for a certain interest to be a motivation." So, it's not ignoring any such thing.
Either way, this choice is incorrect.
Eliminate.
(E) The argument depends for its appeal only on the emotional content of the example cited.
This does not accurately describe the argument.
After all, the argument does not depend on emotional content of the example. Rather, the argument uses the example, which doesn't have any noticeable emotional content, to illustrate in an unemotional way how apparently altruistic actions can be described in terms of self-interest.
Eliminate.
Correct answer: B
