Logical Reasoning

PT118 · S4 · Q12 Columnist: If you received an

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Columnist: If you received an unsigned letter, you would likely have some doubts about the truth of its contents.

Conclusion

It makes sense to be skeptical of anonymous sources in news stories.

Evidence (for)

If you received an unsigned letter, you would likely have some doubts about the truth of its contents.

Similarly, the anonymity of an unnamed source makes it possible for them to plant inaccurate or slanted statements without ever having to answer for them.

Evaluate

Method questions want us to characterize the reasoning move or type of evidence used, and the correct answers usually pull from this list: 1. make/ break an analogy 2. show faulty implications of logic / plan 3. eliminate / suggest an alternative

This argument definitely makes an analogy (two specific cases with some similar general principle).

In both the case of the unsigned letter and the anonymous source, it makes sense to be skeptical about the accuracy of what you hear.

Goal

Look for something like, .

12.

The columnist's argument proceeds by

  1. Correct

    pointing out that a certain

    Why this is right

    The "analogous situation" certainly scratches our itch. Can we match up the rest? The author points out that a skeptical attitude would presumably (likely) be adopted in the case of [receiving an unsigned letter], in order to support the claim that a similar attitude (skepticism) would be justified in an analogous situation [reading a news story with anonymous sources].

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

    71% picked this

  2. drawing an analogy between an

    Bad Conclusion Match

    We could potentially match up everything leading up to the comma. The attitude commonly adopted in anonymous letters is "skeptical" of the contents. The attitude commonly adopted when quoting anonymous sources is an article is "utmost respect". But the second half of this is saying that the author argues that treating anonymous comments with utmost respect is better justified than treating them with skepticism, and the conclusion is saying the opposite of that.

    12% picked this

  3. inferring that an attitude would

    Bad Evidence Match

    Since this answer takes the form: inferring X on the grounds that Y we need to see if X matches the conclusion and Y matches the evidence. Does the author conclude that "an attitude would be justified in all situations of a given type"? Sure, we could make that work. She concludes that a skeptical attitude would be justified in all situations in which a news story quotes an anonymous source. Okay, does the evidence talk about a hypothetical situation in which a news story quotes an anonymous source? No, it talks about a hypothetical situation of a different (though analogous) type -- if you receive an unsigned letter.

    6% picked this

  4. calling into question a certain

    Bad Evidence Match

    Since this answer takes the form: doing X by doing Y we need to see if X matches the conclusion and Y matches the evidence. Does the author's conclusion "call into question a certain type of evidence"? Sure, we could make that work. She concludes that a skeptical attitude would be justified in all situations in which a news story quotes an anonymous source, so she's calling into question the evidence of an anonymous source. Okay, does the evidence talk about an analogous type of evidence that is usually false? No. It talks about an analogous type of evidence (unsigned letters), but it doesn't say that they are usually false. It just says that people would likely have doubts about their truth.

    6% picked this

  5. calling into question the motives

    Bad Evidence/Conclusion Match

    Since this answer takes the form: doing X and concluding for this reason Y we would want to see if X matches the evidence and Y matches the conclusion. Does the author conclude that "certain information is likely to be false"? Nope. She just says being skeptical of information backed up by anonymous sources is justified / makes sense. Saying that it makes sense to be skeptical of information like X doesn't mean that you're saying information like X is usually false, just that there's a higher than normal risk that it could be false.

    4% picked this

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