Logical reasoning PrepTest 133 · Section 3 · Question 2

Incorrect. The premise is about the Artist's group of friends, whereas the conclusion is broader, so this argument isn't circular.

Incorrect. This answer describes a part to whole flaw. However, the conclusion is about people individually, and there's no statement—premise or conclusion—about the country's population as a whole.

Incorrect. The premise is that a group of friends all feel the same way about being artists, not that the belief is widely held. Additionally, the argument doesn't defend that view—it just states that it's a common view.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Errors in Reasoning

Stimulus Summary:
Artist: Everyone I know wants to be an artist while working other jobs, so almost everyone wants to be an artist.

Answer Anticipation:
The Artist here bases a conclusion about what "[a]lmost everyone" in a country really wants on what her friends want. There's reason to believe that the friends of an artist just may be more likely than the average person to aspire to be an artist one day. Basing a general conclusion on anecdotal evidence/a personal sample is a surefire way to reach an invalid conclusion.

Answer Explanation:
The Artist bases her conclusion about "almost everyone in this country" on what is true of "just about everyone" she knows. As an Artist herself, it's likely that the people she knows are more likely to want to be artists, despite the difficulty, and thus her sample is skewed, making this the correct answer.

Key Takeaway:
Whenever the author of an argument starts diving into personal experience, there's a good chance that she's generalizing from too small a sample, going from anecdotes to statistical statements. That's an invalid jump.

Incorrect. Since the argument repeatedly talks about needing a separate job to pay the rent, it seems almost painfully aware of that distinction!