Logical reasoning PrepTest 152 · Section 4 · Question 24

While the argument does use the complexity as a point of similarity between the internet and the brain, it doesn't then go to say that that's the same thing as intelligence. In fact, it says that complexity plus a few other things will lead to intelligence, thus drawing a separation between the two.

The conclusion just states that the internet will become intelligent, not that it will be the first technology to do so.

While the argument does draw this analogy, there's no reason to think it's a dubious one. If this answer gave a reason to believe it was dubious, then we'd have to consider it deeper, but it doesn't, so we have no reason to question the analogy.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Errors in Reasoning

Stimulus Summary:
Internet: Dense, interconnected, transmits information, growing at millions of points.
Brain: Dense, interconnected, transmits information, growing at millions of points.
So the internet will one day gain humanlike intelligence. And James Cameron will buy the movie rights.

Answer Anticipation:
This argument relies completely on a comparison between two entities. The structure boils down to:
Two things are similar on a few metrics. Therefore, they'll be similar on this other metric.

However, the argument never gives any reason to believe that the similarities it establishes in the premises are the right ones to establish the similarity in the conclusion. Its akin to saying that Ford factories and Pringles factories both have workers and machines, so therefore Pringles will one day turn out automobiles.

Answer Explanation:
The argument draws a few comparisons between brains and the internet, and then goes on to state that they'll become similar in another way. There's no premise stating what makes the brain intelligent, though, and this answer points that out. It uses sufficient language, which we didn't anticipate, but it still gets at the same ideas. If the argument established that the listed elements made the brain intelligent, then it'd be on stronger footing.

Key Takeaway:
Just because two things are similar in many ways doesn't mean they'll be similar in any other ways. When an argument is comparing two things, know that the comparison doesn't necessarily extend past the comparisons drawn in the premises.

The argument doesn't care about intentions. It's possible that the internet becomes intelligent without the administrators intending it. In fact, that's the premise of essentially every sci-fi film of the 90s!