Bunuel wrote:
The commissioner has announced that Judge Khalid, who was on the seven-member panel appointed to resolve the Amlec labor dispute, will have sole responsibility for resolving the Simdon labor dispute. Since in its decision the Amlec panel showed itself both reasonable and fair, the two sides in the Simdon dispute are undoubtedly justified in the confidence they have expressed in the reasonableness and fairness of the arbitrator assigned to their case.
Which one of the following contains flawed reasoning most parallel to that contained in the passage?
(A) Representing the school board, Marcia Barthes presented to the school’s principal a list of recently elected school board members. Since only an elected member of the school board can act as its representative. Ms. Barthes’s name undoubtedly appears on that list.
(B) Alan Caldalf, who likes being around young children, has decided to become a pediatrician. Since the one characteristic common to all good pediatricians is that they like young children, Mr. Caldalf will undoubtedly be a very good pediatrician.
(C) Jorge Diaz is a teacher at a music school nationally known for the excellence of its conducting faculty. Since Mr. Diaz has recently been commended for the excellence of his teaching, he is undoubtedly a member of the school’s conducting faculty.
(D) Ula Borg, who has sold real estate for Arcande Realty for many years, undoubtedly sold fewer houses last year that she had the year before since the number of houses sold last year by Arcande Realty is far lower than the number sold the previous year.
(E) The members of the local historical society unanimously support designating the First National Bank building a historical landmark. Since Evelyn George is a member of that society, she undoubtedly favors according landmark status to the city hall as well.
7 member panel of Amlec dispute was reasonable and fair.
Judge Khalid belonged to the panel.
So Judge Khalid would be reasonable and fair.
The flaw is that an attribute of the group is assigned to an individual member of the group too.
The group may have together been fair but an individual in the group may not be.
(A) Representing the school board, Marcia Barthes presented to the school’s principal a list of recently elected school board members. Since only an elected member of the school board can act as its representative. Ms. Barthes’s name undoubtedly appears on that list.
This is not flawed. Only an elected member can act as a rep. Marcia acted as a rep. Marcia must be an elected member.
This is valid.
(B) Alan Caldalf, who likes being around young children, has decided to become a pediatrician. Since the one characteristic common to all good pediatricians is that they like young children, Mr. Caldalf will undoubtedly be a very good pediatrician.
Here, a necessary condition has been taken to be sufficient. Liking young children is common to all good paediatricians. Because Caldalf likes children, he has that necessary quality but it may not be sufficient to become a good paediatrician.
(C) Jorge Diaz is a teacher at a music school nationally known for the excellence of its conducting faculty. Since Mr. Diaz has recently been commended for the excellence of his teaching, he is undoubtedly a member of the school’s conducting faculty.
The school has excellent conducting faculty. Mr Diaz, a teacher at school is excellent too. Then we cannot say that he must be a part of the conducting faculty. This is a flaw but not the same flaw. We are not assuming that a group character is applicable to an individual member too. We are given that Mr Diaz is excellent. We are assuming that he belongs to that group then.
(D) Ula Borg, who has sold real estate for Arcande Realty for many years, undoubtedly sold fewer houses last year that she had the year before since the number of houses sold last year by Arcande Realty is far lower than the number sold the previous year.
Arcande Realty sold far fewer houses last year. Ula Borg who sells for Arcande must have sold far fewer houses too last year.
The characteristic of the group (all realtors for Arcande) is assumed to be applicable to one member (Ula) too. This is the same flaw as our original argument had.
(E) The members of the local historical society unanimously support designating the First National Bank building a historical landmark. Since Evelyn George is a member of that society, she undoubtedly favors according landmark status to the city hall as well.
Here, members
unanimously support. This means that every member does support. Hence we can say that George supports too. There is no flaw here.
Answer (D).
close
05 Mar 2020, 02:43
74%
(02:53)
wrong 
