Self-study
Kevin: My barber shop sells an herbal supplement that, according to my barber, helps prevent baldness because it contains an enzyme that blocks the formation of a chemical compound that causes people to lose hair.
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Summarize Argument: Counter-Position
Sabine argues that the barber’s claim is not true because the barber makes money by convincing people to buy the product.
Identify and Describe Flaw
This is the cookie-cutter “ad hominem” flaw, where the author attacks the source of the argument rather than the argument itself.
Here, Sabine dismisses the barber’s claim simply because the barber benefits from selling the product. Sabine never actually engages with the barber’s evidence, nor does she give any reason to believe that the product does not help prevent baldness.
7.
Sabine’s argument is most vulnerable ██ █████████ ██ ███ ███████ ████ ██
a
discounts scientifically plausible ████████ ██████ ███████ ███ ██████ ████████ ██ ██ ███ █ █████████
Sabine doesn't address the fact that the barber is not a scientist. Instead, she discounts the barber’s claim merely because the barber benefits from selling the product.
b
takes for granted ████ █ ███████ ████ ██ ███████ ██ ██ ██ ████ ██ ███ █████ ██ ██ ███████████████ █████
Sabine never claims or assumes that the product will be harmful. She just says that it’s not true that the product helps prevent baldness.
c
rejects an explanation ███████ █████████ ██ ███████████ ███████████
The barber explains that the product prevents baldness by blocking a certain chemical compound. Sabine rejects the claim that it prevents baldness, but she doesn’t challenge the barber’s explanation. She also doesn’t need to propose an alternative explanation.
d
draws a conclusion █████ ███████████ ███████ ███ ██████ █ ██████████ █████ ███████ █████████ ████████ ████ ███ ████ █████ ███ ████████ ████
Sabine draws a conclusion about the barber’s claim based on an assumption about the barber’s motives. Her conclusion isn’t about the barber’s motives. Also, she doesn’t need to provide evidence that the barber’s claim was made; Kevin just said that it was made.
e
rejects a claim ██████ ███████ ███ ██████ ██████ ███ █████ ██████ ██ ███████ ██ █████ ██
Sabine rejects the barber’s claim that the product helps prevent baldness merely because the barber stands to benefit from that claim. Sabine doesn't give any real evidence against the barber’s claim.