Question

Advertisement: 'Nine out of ten dentists recommend BrightSmile toothpaste. Therefore, BrightSmile must be the best toothpaste available for everyone.' The reasoning in the advertisement is most flawed because it

• A. assumes that what most dentists recommend is necessarily the best choice for every individual.
• B. relies on data that was gathered from a survey of dentists.
• C. provides a specific numerical figure to support its claim.
• D. directly compares BrightSmile with every other available brand.

Hint:

Try naming the specific logical fallacy the advertisement commits before matching it to an option.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: First name the logical fallacy in the advertisement's structure: "most experts recommend X" is being turned into "X is best for everyone" - this is a classic appeal-to-majority fallacy, where a popular choice is wrongly treated as automatically optimal for every individual, ignoring that needs differ from person to person.
Step 2: Now match this named fallacy to the options. Option B (survey data) and Option C (a numerical figure) merely describe the ad's method of gathering and presenting evidence - using data or numbers is not itself a logical error.
Step 3: Option D misdescribes the ad, which never actually compares BrightSmile with every other brand, so this cannot be the flaw either.
Step 4: Option A precisely names the fallacy identified in Step 1 - treating a majority recommendation as necessarily the best individual choice.
Correct option: (1) assumes that what most dentists recommend is necessarily the best choice for every individual.