QUESTION TEXT: If you study history, then you will…
QUESTION TYPE: Flawed Parallel Reasoning
CONCLUSION: Study history —> reflect on your civilization
REASONING:
Study history —> appreciate differences
Reflect on your own civilization —> appreciate differences
ANALYSIS: This argument has two conditional statements with the same necessary condition. It then incorrectly combines the sufficient conditions. You can’t do that. Here’s a parallel example:
Hillary Clinton —> American
Donald Trump —> American
Therefore, Hillary Clinton is Donald Trump. Hopefully this demonstrates the flaw by analogy. You can’t combine sufficient conditions.
To parallel the flaw, look for two statements with the same necessary condition. Any answer with statements that chain together is wrong.
___________
- This is almost a good argument! It has this chain.
Study ancient art —> appreciate accomplish —> understand modern art
The only flaw is that the conclusion jumps from understand modern art to appreciate modern art. But that’s not the same flaw as the stimulus. - CORRECT. The necessary conditions match! And the conclusion incorrectly combines the sufficient conditions.
Learn latin —> improve vocabulary
Study great works —> improve vocabulary
Conclusion: Learn latin —> study great works - As in answer A, the statements here chain together: travelling —> appreciation SOME study history
Further, the word “often” is a “some” statement, not a condition – another reason to reject this answer. - I think this is actually a good argument, if you make the reasonable assumption that internalizing good habits will improve your odds of success.
- This has the opposite format: both sufficient conditions are the same. And, I think it’s actually a good argument, assuming “can come to appreciate other cultures” is a “some” statement. If two sufficient conditions are the same (and exist), then you can always combine the two necessary conditions to form a “some” statement.
Informed —> read newspaper
Informed —> appreciate cultures
SOME people who read newspapers appreciate cultures.
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