Melchior: Some studies have linked

Answer choices

1. A

   Correct86% picked this

   defends a certain practice on the basis that it has a certain benefit without considering whether an alternative

   Why this is right

   Does the author defend a certain practice? Yes, she says, "Nonetheless, you should feed your infant formula" Does she do so on the basis that it has a certain benefit? Yup, based on the fact that it has several nutrients important to development. Does she fail to consider whether an alternative practice has the same benefit? Yes, she doesn't indicate in any way that formula is the only source, the best source, or even a good source of acquiring these nutrients, relative to other options. Is this a flaw? Yes, because she's advocating using something in spite of its health risks. If we can achieve the same positive that formula has without the negative we were warned about, then why would we choose to feed formula to our infants?

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

   86%
2. B

   Wrong Flaw2% picked this

   draws a conclusion that simply restates a claim that is presented in support

   This describes the famous Circular Reasoning flaw, where the conclusion and the premise are essentially the same idea. But the conclusion "you should feed your infant formula" and the premise "formula has developmentally useful nutrients in it" are two distinct thoughts.

   2%
3. C

   Bad Conclusion Match2% picked this

   inappropriately introduces normative claims in support of a conclusion that is

   Does the evidence have normative claims? Sure. It says formula is an "excellent" source of several nutrients. Is the conclusion entirely factual? No, it's normative -- parents should feed formula to their infants.

   2%
4. D

   Wrong Flaw6% picked this

   distorts an argument against feeding cow's milk formula to infants and then attacks

   This refers to a flaw often referred to as Straw Man, but this author didn't distort an argument against feeding formula to infants. There was no argument against feeding formula to infants. She presented a study that is counterevidence to the idea that we should feed formula to infants, but no one has made an argument against formula, so there's no way our author could have distorted it.

   6%
5. E

   Wrong Flaw4% picked this

   confuses an absence of evidence in support of a claim with the existence of evidence

   This refers to the famous Unproven vs. Proven False flaw, but in this flaw, an author concludes that a claim is false because is hasn't yet been proven to be true. This conclusion is not rejecting a claim. It's endorsing a practice based on one benefit of the practice.

   4%