Logical Reasoning

PT149 · S3 · Q1 Advertisement: Most nutritionists recommend

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Advertisement: Most nutritionists recommend eating fish twice a week.

Evidence

Tilapia fillets lack the strong fishy taste that many people find objectionable.

Conclusion

Eating tilapia fillets is a perfect choice for those who want the benefits of eating fish but do not care for the taste of fish.

Evaluate

This argument doesn't gift us with any clear premise indicators or conclusion indicators, but we can use the context and content of the statements to understand the role that each statement plays. The first sentence describing what nutritionists recommend looks like a statement of fact. So does the final sentence about the taste of tilapia. The middle sentence contains a value judgement, calling tilapia a "perfect choice." The final sentence also seems to be acting as support for this middle sentence. All of this taken together indicates that the middle sentence is the conclusion.

It's useful to notice that the conclusion makes a claim about both taste and the benefits of eating tilapia, but the evidence only discusses the taste of tilapia compared to other fish. We aren't given any evidence about the benefits of eating tilapia compared to other fish. This argument is based on an incomplete comparison. There's no evidence supporting the claim that tilapia provides the same benefit as other fish.

Goal

A correct answer might highlight the argument's lack of evidence about the benefits of tilapia compared to other fish. But we should keep an open mind, since a correct answer might weaken the argument in a different way that we haven't predicted. Beware of answers that actually strengthen the argument.

1.

Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the advertisement’s argument?

  1. Eating more than the recommended

    No Impact Irrelevant Causality

    Nothing in the argument suggests or involves eating more than the recommended amount of fish, so this answer choice about doing that isn't relevant. This answer choice seems to be casting doubt on the whole idea of eating fish, but that's not what the question is asking us to do.

    0% picked this

  2. Tilapia are invasive species that

    Opposite (if anything) Irrelevant Distinction

    We could argue that this strengthens the conclusion by providing another reason to eat tilapia. Let's chow down on invasive species and get rid of them! I'll have the tilapia with a side of braised kudzu. But our job in this question is to weaken the argument. And in a broader sense, this answer choice ignores the fact that the argument is based on taste and benefits of eating tilapia. Tilapia being invasive is actually not relevant to the reasoning in this argument.

    0% picked this

  3. Correct

    Tilapia fillets contain little of

    Why this is right

    This answer suggests that people who want the benefits of eating fish won't get those benefits by eating tilapia.

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

    97% picked this

  4. Most people who do not

    Opposite (if anything)

    This answer seems to provide another reason to eat tilapia. But that would strengthen the argument, if anything.

    2% picked this

  5. People who rarely or never

    Opposite (if anything)

    Like other incorrect answers, this would seem to strengthen the argument. This answer suggests that people who rarely or never eat fish might be willing to try tilapia. But we're supposed to choose an answer that weakens the argument, not one that strengthens it.

    0% picked this

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