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Strong/Weak Arguments - Intermediate Level: critical analysis INTERMEDIATE

Quick mental agility ★ session: 20 intermediate-level strong/weak arguments questions. Worksheet 17 of 30 - Focus: critical analysis. Practice argument evaluation, logical strength, persuasive arguments with instant feedback. Great for mid-level students needing moderate complexity with mixed patterns practice.

📝 Worksheet 17 of 30 • 20 questions • ⏱️ Estimated time: 20 minutes • 🎯 Intermediate level

What you'll learn in this worksheet:
Your progress through Strong/Weak Arguments
Worksheet 17 of 30 (56% complete)

Question 1

To properly evaluate whether the diversity training CAUSED the increase in minority hiring, what counterfactual would you need to compare against?
Counterfactual reasoning asks: 'What would have happened otherwise?' Without a baseline or control, you can't isolate the training's effect from other factors (e.g., a tight labor market).
counterfactual, causation, evaluation

Question 2

Issue: Should the minimum wage be increased to $15/hour? Argument A: No, because small businesses will be forced to reduce hours or lay off workers to manage increased labor costs Argument B: Yes, because it's been too long since the last minimum wage increase Argument C: No, because minimum wage jobs are meant for teenagers, not adults Rank these arguments from strongest to weakest. Which is the STRONGEST?
Ranking analysis:
A: Identifies specific economic mechanism and realistic business response
B: Time passage alone doesn't justify policy change without addressing underlying conditions
C: Based on outdated assumption; data shows many adults work minimum wage jobs
arguments, comparative, analysis

Question 3

To properly evaluate whether the diversity training CAUSED the increase in minority hiring, what counterfactual would you need to compare against?
Counterfactual reasoning asks: 'What would have happened otherwise?' Without a baseline or control, you can't isolate the training's effect from other factors (e.g., a tight labor market).
counterfactual, causation, evaluation

Question 4

Proposal: Universal basic income of $1000/month for all citizens Argument: We cannot afford UBI without massive tax increases Evaluate this argument across multiple criteria (evidence quality, relevance, comprehensiveness):
Evidence: Moderate, Relevance: Strong, Comprehensiveness: Moderate. Overall: Moderate to Strong
arguments, multi-criteria, comprehensive

Question 5

Argument: 'Ice cream sales and drowning deaths both rise together. Therefore, ice cream causes drowning.' What is the logical problem with this argument?
This is a classic 'correlation does not imply causation' fallacy. Hot weather causes both increased ice cream sales and more swimming/drowning.
causation, fallacy, correlation

Question 6

To properly evaluate whether the diversity training CAUSED the increase in minority hiring, what counterfactual would you need to compare against?
Counterfactual reasoning asks: 'What would have happened otherwise?' Without a baseline or control, you can't isolate the training's effect from other factors (e.g., a tight labor market).
counterfactual, causation, evaluation

Question 7

In this argument: 'All humans are mortal. Socrates is human. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.' Which statement is the CONCLUSION?
The conclusion is what the argument tries to prove. The premises ('All humans are mortal' and 'Socrates is human') support the conclusion 'Socrates is mortal.'
structure, premises, conclusion, logic

Question 8

Argument: 'Ice cream sales and drowning deaths both rise together. Therefore, ice cream causes drowning.' What is the logical problem with this argument?
This is a classic 'correlation does not imply causation' fallacy. Hot weather causes both increased ice cream sales and more swimming/drowning.
causation, fallacy, correlation

Question 9

Argument: 'After we started the job training program, unemployment went down. So the program caused the decrease.' What important alternative explanation is ignored?
This commits the 'post hoc' fallacy (after this, therefore because of this). Without a control group or considering national trends, we can't establish causation.
causation, fallacy, correlation

Question 10

Issue: Should the minimum wage be increased to $15/hour? Argument A: Yes, because it's been too long since the last minimum wage increase Argument B: No, because minimum wage jobs are meant for teenagers, not adults Which argument is stronger?
Both arguments are weak because they both time passage alone doesn't justify policy change without addressing underlying conditions
arguments, comparative, analysis

Question 11

You test positive for a rare disease (1 in 10,000 prevalence). The test is 99% accurate (1% false positive rate). What is the approximate probability you actually have the disease?
With 10,000 people: 1 true case, but 100 false positives (1% of 9,999). So probability = 1/(1+100) ≈ 1%. This tests base rate neglect.
statistics, probability, base rates

Question 12

Question: Should the government increase funding for public schools? Argument: No, because my taxes are already too high Is this a strong or weak argument?
Weak argument: Personal opinion without considering broader policy implications
arguments, strength, basic

Question 13

In this argument: 'All humans are mortal. Socrates is human. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.' Which statement is the CONCLUSION?
The conclusion is what the argument tries to prove. The premises ('All humans are mortal' and 'Socrates is human') support the conclusion 'Socrates is mortal.'
structure, premises, conclusion, logic

Question 14

What missing counterfactual would best test this claim?
The key counterfactual is the 'no-policy' baseline. If jobs would have grown by 50,000 anyway due to economic recovery, the tax cut had no effect.
counterfactual, causation, evaluation

Question 15

Argument by analogy: 'Social media causes mental health problems in teens, similar to how tobacco causes physical health problems. We regulate tobacco, so we should regulate social media similarly.' What is the most important DIFFERENCE that weakens this analogy?
A critical disanalogy: tobacco has no redeeming benefits, while social media has legitimate uses. This makes the analogy weaker.
analogy, comparison, reasoning

Question 16

Argument: 'Ice cream sales and drowning deaths both rise together. Therefore, ice cream causes drowning.' What is the logical problem with this argument?
This is a classic 'correlation does not imply causation' fallacy. Hot weather causes both increased ice cream sales and more swimming/drowning.
causation, fallacy, correlation

Question 17

In this argument: 'All humans are mortal. Socrates is human. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.' Which statement is the CONCLUSION?
The conclusion is what the argument tries to prove. The premises ('All humans are mortal' and 'Socrates is human') support the conclusion 'Socrates is mortal.'
structure, premises, conclusion, logic

Question 18

Context: Corporate board meeting about remote work policy Argument: Remote work has increased our productivity by 23% while reducing office costs by 40% In this context, how strong is this argument?
Strong argument in this context: Specific metrics directly relevant to business performance
arguments, context, relevance

Question 19

Question: Should the government increase funding for public schools? Argument: Yes, because education is important Is this a strong or weak argument?
Weak argument: Too general and vague, doesn't provide specific reasoning or evidence
arguments, strength, basic

Question 20

Argument: 'Ice cream sales and drowning deaths both rise together. Therefore, ice cream causes drowning.' What is the logical problem with this argument?
This is a classic 'correlation does not imply causation' fallacy. Hot weather causes both increased ice cream sales and more swimming/drowning.
causation, fallacy, correlation
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