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Strong/Weak Arguments - Expert Level: argument impact EXPERT

Intensive progress check 🎯 drill: 20 expert-level strong/weak arguments questions. Worksheet 30 of 30 hones your argument impact abilities. Practice critical analysis, argument evaluation, logical strength under timed conditions. Best for expert-level students seeking challenging problems and time-bound practice.

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

What you'll learn in this worksheet:
Your progress through Strong/Weak Arguments
Worksheet 30 of 30 (100% complete)

Question 1

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 2

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 3

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 4

Topic: Should artificial intelligence be regulated more strictly? Argument: No, because technology is always good for humanity Evaluate the strength of this argument:
Weak argument: Relies on emotion, generalizations, or lacks supporting evidence
arguments, evidence, evaluation

Question 5

Question: Should companies be required to provide paid parental leave? Argument: No, because mandatory benefits increase labor costs and may reduce hiring Is this a strong or weak argument?
Strong argument: Identifies specific economic mechanism and potential consequence
arguments, strength, basic

Question 6

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 7

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 8

Argument: College should be free because education benefits society. Which unstated assumption (missing premise) is necessary for this argument to be logically valid?
The missing premise is: Society should collectively fund services that provide broad public benefits.. Without this assumption, the conclusion doesn't necessarily follow from the given evidence.
arguments, strength, basic

Question 9

Topic: Should standardized testing be eliminated from schools? Argument: Yes, because standardized tests narrow curriculum focus and encourage teaching to the test Evaluate the strength of this argument:
Strong argument: Provides specific evidence, addresses real consequences, and makes logical connections
arguments, evidence, evaluation

Question 10

Proposal: Implementing a four-day work week nationwide Argument: Reducing work hours could harm economic competitiveness against countries with longer work weeks 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 11

Argument: Either we ban all cars or accept environmental destruction. We cannot accept environmental destruction. Therefore, we must ban all cars. Evaluate the logical validity:
Presents only two extreme options when many intermediate solutions exist
arguments, validity, logic

Question 12

What is the primary weakness in this argument?
Small, non-random sample (n=5) cannot support population-wide conclusions regardless of unanimity.
statistics, probability, base rates

Question 13

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 14

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 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: Either we ban all cars or accept environmental destruction. We cannot accept environmental destruction. Therefore, we must ban all cars. What is the primary logical flaw in this argument?
The flaw is False dilemma. Presents only two extreme options when many intermediate solutions exist
arguments, validity, logic

Question 17

Argument: If we allow same-day voter registration, then people will vote fraudulently. We cannot allow fraudulent voting. Therefore, we cannot allow same-day registration. Evaluate the logical validity:
Assumes extreme consequence without evidence that one leads to the other
arguments, validity, logic

Question 18

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 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

Argument: My neighbor's dog barked before the earthquake. Therefore, dogs can predict earthquakes. What is the primary logical flaw in this argument?
The flaw is Hasty generalization. Single anecdote doesn't establish a general pattern or causal relationship
arguments, validity, logic
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