Logical Reasoning

PT101 · S3 · Q13 Health officials claim that because

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Health officials claim that because the foods and beverages mentioned or consumed on many television programs are extremely low in nutritional value, watching television has a bad influence on the dietary habits of television viewers.

Conclusion

Watching TV has a bad influence on the dietary habits of television viewers.

Evidence (because)

The foods and beverages mentioned or consumed on many TV programs are extremely low in nutritional value.

Evaluate

This argument is saying that when we watch a show, the people on the show are eating junk food. Therefore, watching this show has a bad influence on our dietary habits.

That seems to assume watching the show will somehow affect my dietary habits. If I see Tony Soprano eat a Big Mac, does that mean that I'm now more likely to eat a Big Mac? (By that logic, watching Tony Soprano kill a dude makes me more likely to kill a dude?)

Goal

Look for an answer saying that .

13.

The claim by health officials depends on the presupposition that

  1. the eating and drinking habits

    Out of Scope: designed

    This argument is only about what effect TV eating has on real world eating. This answer choice is about what causes TV eating to be the way it is. The argument has nothing to do with the backstory of the eating/drinking habits of TV characters, only its ramifications.

    2% picked this

  2. Correct

    seeing some foods and beverages

    Why this is right

    In order for the author to say that "if people on TV are eating junk food, then TV had a bad influence on the dietary habits of TV viewers", she has to assume that TV viewers are somehow changed by watching characters on TV eat junk food. She specifically has to assume that viewers become more likely to copy the eating/drinking habits of the TV characters. If we negate this answer, it's saying that "seeing people on TV eating/drinking X does not increase the likelihood that a viewer will eat/drink X". That would badly weaken the argument, so that means this is a correct answer.

    Skill tested: Necessary Assumption · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

    94% picked this

  3. the food and beverage industry

    Out of Scope: food / beverage industry

    This argument is only about what effect TV eating has on real world eating. This answer choice is about what causes TV eating to be the way it is. Do characters on TV eat junk food because they're mirroring how everyday people eat (choice A), or do they eat junk food because the food / beverage industry is paying for timely product placement (choice C). We only care about the ramifications of TV characters' eating junk food, not the causal backstory behind why they do.

    0% picked this

  4. television viewers are only interested

    Too Strong: only / same

    The author didn't commit herself to the absurdly extreme claim that as a TV viewer, I will only watch shows with people who eat and drink the same as I do.

    1% picked this

  5. the eating and drinking habits

    Out of Scope: health officials' predictions

    The author is only claiming that the eating/drinking habits shown on TV will somewhat corrupt the dietary habits of viewers. She hasn't claimed that viewers will exactly copy the same eating/drinking they see, just that their dietary habits will be worsened somewhat. This answer poses a very specific claim that a health official can watch TV, and then accurately predict the future of which food and beverages will become popular. TV could have a bad influence on our dietary habits even if it doesn't provide health officials with accurate predictions.

    2% picked this

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