Multiple choice

Directions: For this question, select the best of the answer choices given.

Reviewer: The book Art's Decline argues that European painters today lack skills that were common among European painters of preceding centuries. In this the book must be right, since its analysis of 100 paintings, 50 old and 50 contemporary, demonstrates convincingly that none of the contemporary paintings are executed as skillfully as the older paintings. Which of the following points to the most serious logical flaw in the reviewer's argument?

  1. The paintings chosen by the book's author for analysis could be those that most support the book's thesis.

  2. There could be criteria other than the technical skill of the artist by which to evaluate a painting.

  3. The title of the book could cause readers to accept the book's thesis even before they read the analysis of the paintings that supports it.

  4. The particular methods currently used by European painters could require less artistic skill than do methods used by painters in other parts of the world.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

A is correct because it points out the most serious flaw: if the author selectively chose 100 paintings that already support the thesis, then the evidence is biased and cannot reliably support the broad claim about European painters generally. This is a classic sampling bias issue. B is incorrect because while other evaluation criteria might exist, this doesn't address the flaw in using the painting analysis to support the skill claim. C is about the book's title influencing readers, not about the analysis itself. D discusses methods vs. artistic skill, but the issue is with the sample selection, not the methods.

Keep practicing — related questions