Only computer scientists understand the architecture of personal compu

Question

Competition Mode Question

Only computer scientists understand the architecture of personal computers, and only those who understand the architecture of personal computers appreciate the advances in technology made in the last decade. It follows that only those who appreciate these advances are computer scientists.

Which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the reasoning in the argument?

(A) The argument contains no stated or implied relationship between computer scientists and those who appreciate the advances in technology in the last decade.

(B) The argument ignores the fact that some computer scientists may not appreciate the advances in technology made in the last decade.

(C) The argument ignores the fact that computer scientists may appreciate other things besides the advances in technology made in the last decade.

(D) The premises of the argument are stated in such a way that they exclude the possibility of drawing any logical conclusion.

(E) The premises of the argument presuppose that everyone understands the architecture of personal computers.

fiftyoneverbal · Accepted Answer

There are two premises in this argument:

(1) Only computer scientists understand the architecture of personal computers

(2) Only those who understand the architecture of personal computers appreciate the advances in technology made in the last decade

These premises can be rewritten logically as:

(1) Those who understand the architecture of personal computers are computer scientists

(2) Those who appreciate the advances in technology understand the architecture of computers

Combining these two, you get the conclusion:

Those who appreciate the advances in technology are computer scientists

However, in the question, the conclusion claims to be " ONLY  those who appreciate these advances are computer scientists" (can be rewritten as "every computer scientist appreciates these advances")

What is the difference between the logical conclusion we found, and the conclusion given? Well, in our conclusion, everyone who appreciates the advances in technology are computer scientists, but this doesn't mean every computer scientist must appreciate the advances in technology. In the given conclusion, every computer scientist MUST appreciate the advances. This is the key difference, and flaw in the argument.

(b) corresponds to this flaw, and is the right answer.

shameekv1989 · Answer

Only computer scientists understand the architecture of personal computers, and only those who understand the architecture of personal computers appreciate the advances in technology made in the last decade. It follows that only those who appreciate these advances are computer scientists.

Which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the reasoning in the argument?

(A) The argument contains no stated or implied relationship between computer scientists and those who appreciate the advances in technology in the last decade.

(B) The argument ignores the fact that some computer scientists may not appreciate the advances in technology made in the last decade.

(C) The argument ignores the fact that computer scientists may appreciate other things besides the advances in technology made in the last decade.

(D) The premises of the argument are stated in such a way that they exclude the possibility of drawing any logical conclusion.

(E) The premises of the argument presuppose that everyone understands the architecture of personal computers.

Premises :-

Necessary/Sufficient structure :-

S.C   ->  N.C 
UA. -> Only CS
~CS -> ~UA

AA. -> Only UA 
~UA -> ~AA

Conclusion :-  
 S.C   ->  N.C 
CS -> AA

UA - Understand architecture
CS - Computer scientists
AA - Appreciate advances

There can be some computer scientists (Since it is a necessary condition not the sufficient condition) who do not understand the architecture and thus some who do not understand the architecture may not appreciate the advances in technology.

Answer - B

exc4libur · Answer

argument
if cs => arch => appreciate tech
then appreciate tech = cs

ans (B) what if some cs !=not tech? then the arg falls

adstudy · Answer

Only computer scientists understand the architecture of personal computers, and only those who understand the architecture of personal computers appreciate the advances in technology made in the last decade. It follows that only those who appreciate these advances are computer scientists.

Meaning Derived -

(1) ONLY CS (computer scientists) -> understand -> architecture of (PC) personal computers
(2) ONLY Who understand the architecture of PC -> appreciate -> advances in technology  
(1) + (2) ONLY Who appreciate these advances are computer scientists.

We need to find the gap here.

From (2) -> ONLY Who understand the architecture of PC -> ONLY CS

Hence (2) can be re-written as
(2) ONLY CS -> appreciate -> advances in technology

That is okay but do all CS appreciate the advances. No proof of that mentioned.

Hence when we go through the options, we find only one matching this idea, i.e., (B)

Hence, correct answer is    (B), IMO

(B) The argument ignores the fact that some computer scientists may not appreciate the advances in technology made in the last decade.

chaitralirr · Answer

Only computer scientists understand the architecture of personal computers, and only those who understand the architecture of personal computers appreciate the advances in technology made in the last decade. It follows that only those who appreciate these advances are computer scientists.

Stimulus: computer scientists understand the architecture of personal computers and only those who understand the architecture of personal computers will appreciate it. So the only ones who appreciate the architecture are computer scientists.

IMO B it ignores the fact that computer scientist may not appreciate the new technology

IMO B it ignores the fact that computer scientist may not appreciate the new technology

Which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the reasoning in the argument?

(A) The argument contains no stated or implied relationship between computer scientists and those who appreciate the advances in technology in the last decade.

(B) The argument ignores the fact that some computer scientists may not appreciate the advances in technology made in the last decade.

(C) The argument ignores the fact that computer scientists may appreciate other things besides the advances in technology made in the last decade.

(D) The premises of the argument are stated in such a way that they exclude the possibility of drawing any logical conclusion.

(E) The premises of the argument presuppose that everyone understands the architecture of personal computers.

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

fiftyoneverbal Could you do a video on this sort of (false) reasoning logic? Maybe with some Venn circles?

fiftyoneverbal · Answer

This is a great idea - I'll definitely try to put something together.

fiftyoneverbal · Answer

I've done a video tackling exactly this type of question here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXwhwU_yIFE

draftpunk · Answer

Please advise where I'm going wrong.

"Only" is defined as "exclusively" or "solely"
"Only" does not mean "all"

Therefore, (B) does not affect the reasoning in the argument because exclusively--but not necessarily all--computer scientists understand the architecture. This appears to be a poorly written question.

NeoNguyen1989 · Answer

here is my answer which uses Venn charts to explain.

The relationships between factors in the  premise   are described in the Venn chart 1
The relationship between factors in the  conclusion  is described in the Venn chart 2

The role of computer scientists is switched between premise and conclusion. The  answer choice B  correctly describe the mistake of the conclusion

adstudy · Answer

Hey  costcosized ,

Let us take the prompt once again line by line -

Only computer scientists understand the architecture of personal computers,

Means ->  CS only understand the architecture of PC's.

and only those who understand the architecture of personal computers appreciate the advances in technology made in the last decade. It follows that only those who appreciate these advances are computer scientists.

Means ->  CS are the only ones appreciating the advances in technology in the last decade.

So the conclusion is generalizing that if you pick a CS he will appreciate the advances in technology.
But we can also have people who are CS but do not appreciate the advances in technology. These guys are the ones who do not allow the author to generalize.
This thinking matches option B.
Hope this helps.

CEdward · Answer

With respect, I am inclined to think that this reasoning is what amounts to setting up a false equivalency. "Only" is not the same as all. Only merely defines a subset of individuals who in this case are the only ones who understand the architecture of personal cpus. Had the passage said something to the effect of 'only and all' or 'all those who understand...' then B is a little more palatable.

This interpretation is precisely why I eliminated B so quickly and was left without an answer...so I chose A reluctantly (even though it is also wrong).

VerbalBot · Answer

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