Flawed ReasoningDiff: Easy
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: A philosopher argues that students actually do care about philosophy because the students who show up to their philosophy talks are very engaged.
Conclusion: The claim that most current university students lack interest in philosophy is incorrect.
Reasoning: The philosopher observes that the students who attend their campus lectures demonstrate a significant interest in philosophical topics.
Analysis: This argument is a classic example of a sampling flaw. The philosopher is drawing a conclusion about all university students based on a very specific, self-selected group—those who are already interested enough in philosophy to attend a lecture on it. It’s a bit like a professional athlete concluding that everyone loves exercise because everyone they meet at the gym is working out. Look for an answer that identifies this unrepresentative sample.
Conclusion: The claim that most current university students lack interest in philosophy is incorrect.
Reasoning: The philosopher observes that the students who attend their campus lectures demonstrate a significant interest in philosophical topics.
Analysis: This argument is a classic example of a sampling flaw. The philosopher is drawing a conclusion about all university students based on a very specific, self-selected group—those who are already interested enough in philosophy to attend a lecture on it. It’s a bit like a professional athlete concluding that everyone loves exercise because everyone they meet at the gym is working out. Look for an answer that identifies this unrepresentative sample.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage1.The reasoning in the philosopher's argument is flawed in that the argument
Correct Answer
B
It identifies the selection-bias flaw: the students who attend a philosopher’s talks are not shown to be representative of most university students, yet the argument generalizes from them.
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