PT146.S2.Q25

PrepTest 146 - Section 2 - Question 25

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Substantial economic growth must be preceded by technological innovations that expanding industries incorporate into their production or distribution procedures. Since a worldwide ban on the use of fossil fuels would surely produce many technological innovations, it is obvious that such a ban would be followed by an economic boom rather than by the economic depression forecast by the critics of such a ban.

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25.

Which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the argument's reasoning?

a

The argument assumes the truth of the conclusion for which it purports to be providing evidence.

(A) describes circular reasoning. The conclusion is not a restatement of one of the premises.

8%
b

The argument attempts to establish the falsehood of a proposition by criticizing the reasoning of those who assert its truth.

The author doesn’t criticize someone else’s reasoning.

2%
c

The argument attempts to establish a conclusion on the basis of stronger evidence than the conclusion requires.

There’s nothing flawed about establishing a conclusion using evidence stronger than needed. Anyway, (C) doesn’t happen because the evidence here isn’t enough to prove the conclusion.

2%
d

The argument confuses a necessary condition for a phenomenon with a sufficient condition for that phenomenon.

The argument confuses a necessary condition (tech innovations) for a phenomenon (substantial economic growth) with a sufficient condition for that phenomenon. This is flawed because we aren’t told tech innovations are enough to guarantee substantial economic growth.

70%
e

The argument presumes, without providing warrant, that because certain conditions only sometimes precede a certain phenomenon, these conditions always bring about the phenomenon.

The conclusion is based on the fact that any time there’s substantial economic growth, there must be tech innovations that preceded. This is a claim that sub. economic growth requires tech innovations. Not a claim that tech innovations “only sometimes” happen before growth.

17%

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