This question asks you to find the flaw in the argument. So, while reading through the passage, try to pick out what you think is wrong or off about the argument.
When I read it through it, I noticed that it was trying to equate "selfish individualism" (line 1) with "selfish concern for the human species" (line 3). While both of these phrases use "selfish" they mean two very different things- one is focused on doing what's best for your own person and the other is about doing what's best for the human species.
Answer (E) points out this issue. It correctly notes that the argument uses the word "selfish" in two different ways but fails to acknowledge that it does so. Instead, it tries to say that the two are alike. This isn't true and therefore answer (E) is correct.
Answer (B) is incorrect because there is no need for statistical evidence. Statistical evidence, while often convincing, is not required for every argument. The presence/absence of statistical evidence can't tell you whether the argument works or not.
shunheAugust 19, 2020
Hi @Chloe-Shoemaker,
Thanks for the question! Let’s take a look at the stimulus here first to figure out what the flaw is. So we’re told that the 1980s are a period of selfish individualism that threatened society’s cohesion. But, the author contends, this is true of any time. All human actions have been motivated by selfishness throughout history. And so “unselfish” acts are selfish concern for the human species.
Now (B) says that the flaw here is that no statistical evidence is provided to show that humans act selfishly more often than they act unselfishly. Is that the primary flaw happening in this argument? That there’s no statistics backing it? Not every argument needs statistics on its side, and this argument is one of them. It’s not a valid criticism of every argument, including this one, to just say “you didn’t give us any statistics.” We need to find something that’s wrong with the reasoning presented to us, and the lack of statistics is not the main issue here.
Hope this helps! Feel free to ask any other questions that you might have.
