Flawed ReasoningDiff: Easy
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: A critic says we shouldn't believe a TV executive's claim that TV is good for kids simply because the executive makes money from people watching TV.
Conclusion: We should reject the argument that television is not harmful to young children.
Reasoning: The person making the argument is a television executive who stands to benefit financially if parents believe television is safe.
Analysis: This is a classic 'ad hominem' or source bias flaw where the critic attacks the person's motives rather than the substance of their claim. Even if Fillmore is biased, his premise—that children can learn beneficial things from TV—could still be true. The critic's dismissal is logically weak because it ignores the evidence provided and focuses entirely on a potential conflict of interest.
Conclusion: We should reject the argument that television is not harmful to young children.
Reasoning: The person making the argument is a television executive who stands to benefit financially if parents believe television is safe.
Analysis: This is a classic 'ad hominem' or source bias flaw where the critic attacks the person's motives rather than the substance of their claim. Even if Fillmore is biased, his premise—that children can learn beneficial things from TV—could still be true. The critic's dismissal is logically weak because it ignores the evidence provided and focuses entirely on a potential conflict of interest.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage5.Which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the critic's reasoning?
Correct Answer
C
The critic rejects Fillmore’s argument on the sole ground that Fillmore has a vested interest in the claim’s acceptance. That is an ad hominem (circumstantial) attack and does not address the truth of the conclusion or the soundness of the reasoning.
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