#17 - Most people believe that yawning is most powerfully

[ally.ni]

I am confused why A is incorrect, it seems to me that the first premise and the conclusion are rather similar in wording.

[Rachael Wilkenfeld]

Hi ally,

Answer choice (A) is describing a circular argument. For a circular argument to be correct, our stimulus needs to have the same reason as conclusion. For example, "I am the best because I'm better than everyone else." This stimulus provides reasoning separate from the conclusion. It may not be GOOD reasoning, but it's reasoning. Let's break it down a bit.

Our conclusion is that seeing someone else yawn is the most irresistible cause of yawning. Why?

1. Most people believe that to be true.
2. Most people in multiple cultures have believed it to be true.

The argument draws a conclusion about what IS true from what people believe to be true. That's not circular, but it is flawed.

Hope that helps.

[simonsap]

Most believe X. Belief in X is supported by historians. Therefore it must be true.
The cause of yawning is a factual matter, so appealing to the opinion of historians is the flaw.