Buddham

Flaws are defects or fallacies in somebody's logic. In other words, flaws are questionable or wrong assumptions in a writer's/ a speaker's  line of reasoning.  When a writer/ a speaker presents his/ her argument, he/ she makes a claim, and gives some premise(s) or logic to support his/ her claim. Sometimes, a writer/ a speaker misinterprets the available premise(s)/ evidence(s), or attaches personal bias to the available  premise(s)/ evidence(s). This makes his reasoning flawed or erroneous. In various competitive examinations, there are questions of critical reasoning in which candidates are expected to expose the flaws in an author's reasoning. Even in day-to-day interaction with people, one can realize that people at times make flawed argument. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to detect the flaws in reasoning, and to understand the nature of flaws. Types of Flaws: These are some of the flaws that we see in arguments. 1. Generalisation: Here, an author draws a...

  Drawing a conclusion and drawing an inference are two important question-patterns of critical reasoning. In reading comprehension, these two questions are frequently asked. So, it is important to learn how to derive a conclusion & how to derive an inference from the given data/ evidences. Let us understand the difference between a conclusion and an inference. 

  Puzzle: Question : Pointing to a male, a woman says that his maternal uncle addresses my maternal uncle as 'maternal uncle'. How is the man related to the woman? Answer: The man is her son. [ Explanation : The man's maternal uncle is the woman's brother. So, both the woman and her brother have the same maternal uncle.]

 Puzzle: Question : In a pond, there is a flower which doubles its size every day. This flower filled the entire pond on the twentieth day. So on which day did it fill half the pond? Answer: on the 19th Day [ Explanation:  On nineteenth day, the flower filled half the pond, then only it filled the entire pond on the twentieth day, as it doubles its size every day.]

 Syllogism Question: Question: How many conclusions can be drawn from the given statements? Statement 1:  Some Pens are Pencils. Statement 2:  All Pencils are Erasers. Ans:  5 [ Explanation : From Statement 1, one conclusion can be drawn:  Some  Pencils are Pens. From Statement 2, two conclusions can be drawn:  Some Pencils are Erasers.   &   Some  Erasers  are Pencils . Combining both the statements 1 & 2, one conclusion can be drawn:  Some Pens   are Erasers. From the statement  ' Some Pens   are Erasers. ',  one more conclusion can be drawn:  Some Erasers   are Pens. ]

 Syllogism Question: Question: How many conclusions can be drawn from the given statements? Statement 1: All Dogs are Elephants. Statement 2: All Elephants are Rats. Ans: 7 [ Explanation : From Statement 1, two conclusions can be drawn: Some Dogs are Elephants. &  Some Elephants are Dogs. From Statement 2, two conclusions can be drawn:  Some Elephants are Rats.  &   Some  Rats  are Elephants . Combining both the statements 1 & 2, one conclusion can be drawn: All Dogs are Rats. From the statement ' All Dogs are Rats .', two more conclusions can be drawn:  Some Dogs are Rats . &  Some Rats are Dogs. ]