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Strong/Weak Arguments - Advanced Level: argument analysis ADVANCED

Level up your strong/weak arguments skills with this challenging mix. 20 advanced-level problems await in Worksheet 24 of 30. Focus area: argument analysis. Learn argument evaluation, logical strength, persuasive arguments through systematic practice. Designed for advanced learners seeking complex scenarios and multi-step problems.

📝 Worksheet 24 of 30 • 20 questions • ⏱️ Estimated time: 20 minutes • 🎯 Advanced level

What you'll learn in this worksheet:
Your progress through Strong/Weak Arguments
Worksheet 24 of 30 (80% complete)

Question 1

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: No, because minimum wage jobs are meant for teenagers, not adults Argument C: Yes, because workers earning minimum wage cannot afford basic living costs in most cities, and consumer spending will increase when workers have more money Rank these arguments from strongest to weakest. Which is the STRONGEST?
Ranking analysis:
A: Identifies specific economic mechanism and realistic business response
B: Based on outdated assumption; data shows many adults work minimum wage jobs
C: Addresses both social justice and economic stimulation with clear causal reasoning
arguments, comparative, analysis

Question 2

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 3

What is the logical form of this argument?
Form: If P then Q. Q is true. Therefore P. This is affirming the consequent, a formal fallacy. The ground could be wet from sprinklers, not rain.
structure, premises, conclusion, logic

Question 4

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 5

Is this argument deductive or inductive?
Deductive arguments aim for logical necessity. If premises are true, conclusion must be true. This is a classic syllogism.
induction, deduction, reasoning type

Question 6

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 7

Proposal: Implementing a four-day work week nationwide Argument: Shorter work weeks sound nice and would make everyone happier What is the MOST significant weakness or missing element in this argument?
Key weakness: No evidence, purely emotional. This limits the argument's strength despite other merits.
arguments, multi-criteria, comprehensive

Question 8

Proposal: Implementing a four-day work week nationwide Argument: Shorter work weeks sound nice and would make everyone happier Evaluate this argument across multiple criteria (evidence quality, relevance, comprehensiveness):
Evidence: Weak, Relevance: Moderate, Comprehensiveness: Weak. Overall: Weak
arguments, multi-criteria, comprehensive

Question 9

What is the logical form of this argument?
Form: If P then Q. Q is true. Therefore P. This is affirming the consequent, a formal fallacy. The ground could be wet from sprinklers, not rain.
structure, premises, conclusion, logic

Question 10

Argument: Studies show that countries with higher education spending have stronger economies. Therefore, increasing education spending will strengthen our economy. Evaluate the logical validity:
Based on empirical evidence with reasonable causal connection
arguments, validity, logic

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 companies be required to provide paid parental leave? Argument: Yes, because parents need time with their babies Is this a strong or weak argument?
Weak argument: States obvious fact without addressing policy implications or economic considerations
arguments, strength, basic

Question 13

Topic: Should artificial intelligence be regulated more strictly? Argument: No, because over-regulation could slow innovation and let other countries gain competitive advantages Evaluate the strength of this argument:
Strong argument: Provides specific evidence, addresses real consequences, and makes logical connections
arguments, evidence, evaluation

Question 14

Issue: Should the minimum wage be increased to $15/hour? Argument A: No, because minimum wage jobs are meant for teenagers, not adults Argument B: Yes, because workers earning minimum wage cannot afford basic living costs in most cities, and consumer spending will increase when workers have more money Argument C: Yes, because it's been too long since the last minimum wage increase Rank these arguments from strongest to weakest. Which is the STRONGEST?
Ranking analysis:
A: Based on outdated assumption; data shows many adults work minimum wage jobs
B: Addresses both social justice and economic stimulation with clear causal reasoning
C: Time passage alone doesn't justify policy change without addressing underlying conditions
arguments, comparative, analysis

Question 15

Topic: Should artificial intelligence be regulated more strictly? Argument: No, because regulation never works anyway Evaluate the strength of this argument:
Weak argument: Relies on emotion, generalizations, or lacks supporting evidence
arguments, evidence, evaluation

Question 16

Argument: Smoking causes lung cancer. John smokes. Therefore, John will get lung cancer. What is the primary logical flaw in this argument?
The flaw is Confusing probability with certainty. Confuses statistical risk with certainty; smoking increases but doesn't guarantee cancer
arguments, validity, logic

Question 17

What is the logical form of this argument?
Form: If P then Q. Q is true. Therefore P. This is affirming the consequent, a formal fallacy. The ground could be wet from sprinklers, not rain.
structure, premises, conclusion, logic

Question 18

Topic: Should standardized testing be eliminated from schools? Argument: No, because we've always done it this way Evaluate the strength of this argument:
Weak argument: Relies on emotion, generalizations, or lacks supporting evidence
arguments, evidence, evaluation

Question 19

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 20

Context: Debate in City Council about building a new stadium Argument: I don't like sports so this is a waste of money Which unstated assumption does this argument rely on?
Hidden assumption: Council members' personal preferences should determine policy. Without this assumption, the argument's conclusion may not follow from its premises.
arguments, context, relevance
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