Flawed Reasoning

This topic has expert replies
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 174
Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2007 5:51 am
Thanked: 1 times

Flawed Reasoning

by 800GMAT » Tue May 29, 2007 12:21 am
Yolanda: Gaining access to computers without
authorization and manipulating the data and
programs they contain is comparable to joyriding
in stolen cars; both involve breaking into private
property and treating it recklessly. Joyriding,
however, is the more dangerous crime because it
physically endangers people, whereas only
intellectual property is harmed in the case of
computer crimes.
Arjun: I disagree! For example, unauthorized use of
medical records systems in hospitals could
damage data systems on which human lives
depend, and therefore computer crimes also
cause physical harm to people.

The reasoning in Arjun’s response is flawed because he
(A) fails to maintain a distinction made in Yolanda’s
argument
(B) denies Yolanda’s conclusion without providing
evidence against it
(C) relies on the actuality of a phenomenon that he
has only shown to be possible
(D) mistakes something that leads to his conclusion
for something that is necessary for his
conclusion
(E) uses as evidence a phenomenon that is
inconsistent with his own conclusion

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 36
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 7:15 am

by nauman » Tue May 29, 2007 7:48 am
I think A

User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 418
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2007 6:41 pm
Thanked: 24 times

by Prasanna » Tue May 29, 2007 3:46 pm
Stuck between C and D. Would go for C. Whats the OA?

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 174
Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2007 5:51 am
Thanked: 1 times

by 800GMAT » Tue May 29, 2007 3:47 pm
Prasanna, can u pls explain how did u arrive at C??
Thnkx

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 70
Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2007 9:35 am
Location: mumbai
Followed by:1 members

by RAGS » Thu May 31, 2007 3:21 am
option C was completly rejected by me
It says that he relies on the actuality of the phenomena. Come to think of it even Yolanda depends on the actuality. And what is the phenomena we r talking about. An example may be better word to describe it.

Please post OA
If It Is To Be It Is Up To Me

User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 418
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2007 6:41 pm
Thanked: 24 times

by Prasanna » Thu May 31, 2007 9:38 am
I was not fully convinced with my choice too. But of the choices I thought only C or D could be the correct ones. If I were facing this question in the exam, I would have gone with C or D (though not happy).

May be I am making a mistake here. :?

Please post OA with explanations.

User avatar
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 91
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2007 7:08 am
Location: Durham, NC
Thanked: 1 times

by Sadowski » Thu May 31, 2007 10:15 am
I chose C because while his example is a possibility, it doesn't happen in every case of computer crime which is his final conclusion. He says:

"...and therefore computer crimes also cause physical harm to people."

He's relying on the actuality of every computer crime leading to the damage of hospital records systems, which obviously can't be the case.

If he said "...computer crimes can cause physical harm to people" then he's mentioning it only as an example of one way that computer crimes could physically endanger someone's life.

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 174
Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2007 5:51 am
Thanked: 1 times

by 800GMAT » Thu May 31, 2007 10:45 am
The OA is C....Thanks for the reasoning Sadowski.....I dont have an OE on this one...

User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 418
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2007 6:41 pm
Thanked: 24 times

by Prasanna » Thu May 31, 2007 1:56 pm
:D I got that right. Hope the luck stays till the actual exams :wink:

Legendary Member
Posts: 627
Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2011 9:12 am
Thanked: 4 times
Followed by:1 members

by mankey » Sun Oct 30, 2011 2:51 am
Can someone please provide a better reasoning to this question?

Thanks.

Legendary Member
Posts: 627
Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2011 9:12 am
Thanked: 4 times
Followed by:1 members

by mankey » Tue Nov 08, 2011 10:18 am
Can someone please provide a better explanation to this one?

Thanks.

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 135
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2011 6:54 am
Followed by:4 members

by nidhis.1408 » Wed Nov 09, 2011 6:48 am
whats wrong with D?
"mistakes something that leads to his conclusion
for something that is necessary for his
conclusion "
I think he gave a specific example which proved his point but he deviated from the real comparison made by the other person.

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pm
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
Followed by:1906 members
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Wed Nov 09, 2011 11:55 am
800GMAT wrote:Yolanda: Gaining access to computers without
authorization and manipulating the data and
programs they contain is comparable to joyriding
in stolen cars; both involve breaking into private
property and treating it recklessly. Joyriding,
however, is the more dangerous crime because it
physically endangers people, whereas only
intellectual property is harmed in the case of
computer crimes.
Arjun: I disagree! For example, unauthorized use of
medical records systems in hospitals could
damage data systems on which human lives
depend, and therefore computer crimes also
cause physical harm to people.

The reasoning in Arjun�s response is flawed because he
(A) fails to maintain a distinction made in Yolanda�s
argument
(B) denies Yolanda�s conclusion without providing
evidence against it
(C) relies on the actuality of a phenomenon that he
has only shown to be possible
(D) mistakes something that leads to his conclusion
for something that is necessary for his
conclusion
(E) uses as evidence a phenomenon that is
inconsistent with his own conclusion
Arjun's premise: Unauthorized use of medical records systems in hospitals COULD damage data systems.
Arjun's conclusion: Computer crimes CAUSE physical harm to people.
Arjun's assumption: that what COULD happen (damage to the data systems) actually DOES happen.

Answer choice C states this assumption: [Arjun's response] relies on the actuality of a phenomenon that he has only shown to be possible.

The correct answer is C.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.

As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.

For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3