#24 - A birth is more likely to be difficult when the mother

[teddykim100]

Thank you!


While on this topic, could you break down why A is wrong? I keep on seeing these "categorical" answer choices where they categorize the flaw and argument; "assumes what it sets out to establish",

what would the argument look like if it DID assume what it set out to establish? these categorical descriptions are too abstract for me to figure out in the moment of test taking

[teddykim100]

Hi Rachel,
sorry for the late response. Could you elaborate on the difference between something that is a cause, vs. something that is different from a cause?

I got the question right but misidentified the flaw in the question: I attributed the author to neglecting other factors when in reality this is more of a "numbers" issue. The author fails to consider that just because something is more LIKELY, doesn't mean something is HIGHER in number.

I totally missed that underlined part and thought that the flaw was about how other factors besides age could contribute to a difficult birth. In my line of reasoning, if there are other factors besides birth to consider, (what if the mother is a smoker, or if there is a genetic component, etc), this would have negated the idea that just because someone's mom was 40 at birth, they would be ambidextrous.

It's a mouthful I know, but if you could tell me why the Flaw I identified is wrong, I would greatly appreciate it!

[Rachael Wilkenfeld]

Hi Teddy,

"Assuming what it seeks to establish" is a circular answer choice. It's fairly unusual to see it as a correct answer but it's not uncommon as an incorrect answer. It means that the premise and the conclusion are essentially the same. An example is an argument that says "The Midnight Club is the best TV show of 2022 because it's better than all the other shows." It isn't providing any actual reasons The Midnight Club is the best TV show, it's just restating the premise. There are no other facts, like viewership numbers or awards, or other data to support the claim. That's why it assumes what it seeks to establish.

I'm not sure what your question on causes means exactly. A cause is an explanation for an occurrence. It's something that explains why a thing is a way it is. An alternate cause is just a different explanation from the one that was in the stimulus. Anything that is provided as a possible explanation is a potential cause, while other things are not.

Hope that helps!