Flawed Parallel ReasoningDiff: Hardest
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: Because the whole universe is getting more chaotic over time, the Earth's environment must be doing the same thing, even if it doesn't look that way to us.
Conclusion: The Earth's biosphere is consistently becoming more disordered.
Reasoning: The entire universe is naturally moving toward a state of higher entropy, and the Earth's biosphere is a component of the universe.
Analysis: This argument commits a classic 'Fallacy of Division,' where the author assumes that a property of the whole must apply to every individual part. While the universe's total entropy increases, local systems—like a planet's biosphere—can actually become more ordered by utilizing energy. To find a parallel flaw, look for an answer that takes a general rule about a group and incorrectly forces it onto a specific member of that group. You are searching for a 'whole-to-part' logical error.
Conclusion: The Earth's biosphere is consistently becoming more disordered.
Reasoning: The entire universe is naturally moving toward a state of higher entropy, and the Earth's biosphere is a component of the universe.
Analysis: This argument commits a classic 'Fallacy of Division,' where the author assumes that a property of the whole must apply to every individual part. While the universe's total entropy increases, local systems—like a planet's biosphere—can actually become more ordered by utilizing energy. To find a parallel flaw, look for an answer that takes a general rule about a group and incorrectly forces it onto a specific member of that group. You are searching for a 'whole-to-part' logical error.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage22.Which one of the following is most similar in its flawed reasoning to the argument above?
Correct Answer
A
It makes the same mistake: because the larger system of interconnected lakes is among the most beautiful, it concludes a specific member (Wooded Lake) is one of the most beautiful. That’s the same whole-to-part flaw as assuming a subsystem must share the property of the whole.
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