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Editorialist: The city council is considering increasing the amount of air traffic allowed at the airport beyond its original design capacity. Several council members say that this increase would not decrease safety as it would be accompanied by the purchase of the latest safety technology. But in fact it would decrease safety. Numerous studies conducted 30 years ago show that safety was reduced at every airport where the permitted level of traffic was increased beyond the airport's original design capacity, even when those airports made use of the latest safety technology.
7.
Which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the editorialist's argument?
a
The argument draws a conclusion on the basis of a general statement that has in turn been inferred from a very limited number of particular instances.
b
The argument fails to consider the possibility that whether an airport can allow more air traffic than it was originally designed for without reducing safety depends largely on what the latest technology is.
c
The argument fails to consider the possibility that the city council members who support the increase are aware of the studies that were conducted 30 years ago.
d
The argument confuses an absence of evidence for the claim that the airport can safely permit air traffic in excess of its original design capacity with the existence of evidence against this claim.
e
The argument fails to consider that a slight increase in safety risks might be acceptable if it yields overriding benefits of another kind.