Flawed Parallel ReasoningDiff: Easy
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: I think astrology is probably true because most of the doctors I've talked to believe in it.
Conclusion: The speaker believes there is likely some validity to the practice of astrology.
Reasoning: The speaker bases this belief on the fact that a majority of the physicians they have consulted believe in astrology.
Analysis: This argument commits a classic 'Appeal to Inappropriate Authority' fallacy. While physicians are experts in medicine, their medical training does not grant them special expertise in the movement of celestial bodies or their supposed influence on human destiny. Furthermore, the speaker relies on a potentially biased or limited sample size—only the physicians they personally spoke to. To find a parallel flaw, look for an argument that concludes a claim is true simply because a group of people who are not experts in that specific field believe it to be true.
Conclusion: The speaker believes there is likely some validity to the practice of astrology.
Reasoning: The speaker bases this belief on the fact that a majority of the physicians they have consulted believe in astrology.
Analysis: This argument commits a classic 'Appeal to Inappropriate Authority' fallacy. While physicians are experts in medicine, their medical training does not grant them special expertise in the movement of celestial bodies or their supposed influence on human destiny. Furthermore, the speaker relies on a potentially biased or limited sample size—only the physicians they personally spoke to. To find a parallel flaw, look for an argument that concludes a claim is true simply because a group of people who are not experts in that specific field believe it to be true.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage4.The flawed pattern of reasoning in the argument above is most similar to that in which one of the following?
Correct Answer
B
B matches the flaw: it confirms a policy conclusion (“several programs are wasteful”) based on what most biology professors the speaker has talked to believe—a limited, potentially irrelevant authority sample.
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