June 2007 PrepTest, Section 2, Question 4
Consumer: The latest Connorly Report suggests that Ocksenfrey prepackaged meals are virtually devoid of nutritional value. But the Connorly Report is commissioned by Danto Foods, Ocksenfrey's largest corporate rival, and early drafts of the report are submitted for approval to Danto Foods' public relations department. Because of the obvious bias of this report, it is clear that Ocksenfrey's prepackaged meals really are nutritious.
Consumer: The latest Connorly Report suggests that Ocksenfrey prepackaged meals are virtually devoid of nutritional value. But the Connorly Report is commissioned by Danto Foods, Ocksenfrey's largest corporate rival, and early drafts of the report are submitted for approval to Danto Foods' public relations department. Because of the obvious bias of this report, it is clear that Ocksenfrey's prepackaged meals really are nutritious.
Consumer: The latest Connorly Report suggests that Ocksenfrey prepackaged meals are virtually devoid of nutritional value. But the Connorly Report is commissioned by Danto Foods, Ocksenfrey's largest corporate rival, and early drafts of the report are submitted for approval to Danto Foods' public relations department. Because of the obvious bias of this report, it is clear that Ocksenfrey's prepackaged meals really are nutritious.
Consumer: The latest Connorly Report suggests that Ocksenfrey prepackaged meals are virtually devoid of nutritional value. But the Connorly Report is commissioned by Danto Foods, Ocksenfrey's largest corporate rival, and early drafts of the report are submitted for approval to Danto Foods' public relations department. Because of the obvious bias of this report, it is clear that Ocksenfrey's prepackaged meals really are nutritious.
The reasoning in the consumer's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument
treats evidence that there is an apparent bias as evidence that the Connorly Report's claims are false
draws a conclusion based solely on an unrepresentative sample of Ocksenfrey's products
fails to take into account the possibility that Ocksenfrey has just as much motivation to create negative publicity for Danto as Danto has to create negative publicity for Ocksenfrey
fails to provide evidence that Danto Foods' prepackaged meals are not more nutritious than Ocksenfrey's are
presumes, without providing justification, that Danto Foods' public relations department would not approve a draft of a report that was hostile to Danto Foods' products
Explanations
You can cast doubt on the reliability of the report because it definitely sounds like there were biases present. However, you can’t conclude that the opposite is true from what the report says. Maybe the consumer is right, those prepackaged meals aren’t devoid of nutritional value. However, does that mean they are nutritious? Not necessarily!
Yup, that’s exactly what the consumer does. Yes, there’s evidence that there is an apparent bias. However, that is not conclusive evidence that the report is false.
The consumer doesn’t use any sample because the consumer doesn’t use data to claim Ocksenfrey’s is nutritious.
While possible, we are only focused on what Danto did.
There’s no comparison in nutritional value between the two that’s made.
Danto’s PR department received a draft that was hostile to a competitor, not to them.
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