Study for the Logical Reasoning STEM Test. Practice with flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Prepare for success!

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a questionable argumentative strategy employed in the argument that the policy should be adopted because a majority supports it?

This question tests spotting an appeal to popularity, a tactic where the argument rests on how many people support the policy rather than on evidence about its merits. Saying the policy should be adopted because a majority agrees treats popularity as proof, but that doesn’t actually show the policy will work, be fair, or be better than alternatives. Popular opinion can be influenced by trends, misinformation, or social pressure, and it says nothing about costs, benefits, feasibility, or rights. So the best explanation is that the argument uses what many people think as the justification itself, which is a weak basis for deciding policy. Other strategies described are different: a slippery slope imagines a chain of negative outcomes from a small step, a stricter standard of proof demands more evidence, and circular reasoning uses the conclusion as part of the premise.

This question tests spotting an appeal to popularity, a tactic where the argument rests on how many people support the policy rather than on evidence about its merits. Saying the policy should be adopted because a majority agrees treats popularity as proof, but that doesn’t actually show the policy will work, be fair, or be better than alternatives. Popular opinion can be influenced by trends, misinformation, or social pressure, and it says nothing about costs, benefits, feasibility, or rights.

So the best explanation is that the argument uses what many people think as the justification itself, which is a weak basis for deciding policy. Other strategies described are different: a slippery slope imagines a chain of negative outcomes from a small step, a stricter standard of proof demands more evidence, and circular reasoning uses the conclusion as part of the premise.