【正文】 this, any number of large private corporations have gone bankrupt includingContinental Airlines and Pan American Airways. Would any social planners want postal deliverydiscontinued to any area because a large, privatized postal pany declared bankruptcy?The argument that the post office department can be privatized is based on two questionableassumptions. It is therefore most likely that this argument is invalid (1) because populations arenot distributed in such a way that large, regional post offices could be run economically, and (2)because private corporations are not necessarily cost efficient and economical.Notice that this essay states two assumptions and then spends three paragraphs elaboratingon the two main assumptions. The overall structure is tight (perhaps a few sentences could havebeen edited and paragraphs 2 and 3 condensed into one paragraph). Either way, this is a 5 or 6essay.One element here is that problems with the stimulus is strictly assumptions: about theeconomics of running a post office and the assumption of private sector superiority over publicsector. In most of the essays there are glaring logical flaws. We identify these mon errors inthe next chapter.Analysis of Argument: Finding ErrorsThe Usual Suspects: Common Logical FallaciesWe have identified seven logical errors that appear monly in the essay questions. Whenwriting your essay argument you should explicitly identify the logical flaw. These flaws also tendto occur in the critical reasoning section of the Verbal GMAT, so your preparation here will benefityou when taking the Verbal section.The Erater will look for how well you express that you have identified the logicalreasoning flaws. When you find an error, specifically identify it in the essay this is a biasedsamplefallacy. The Erater will detect that you have identified the argument39。s flaw and will favoryour essay.1. Circular ReasoningHere, an unsubstantiated assertion is used to justify another unsubstantiated assertion,which is, or at least could be, used to justify the first statement. For instance, Joe and Fred showup at an exclusive club. When asked if they are members, Joe says I39。ll vouch for Fred. When Joeis asked for evidence that he39。s a member, Fred says, I39。ll vouch for him.2. The BiasedSample FallacyThe Fallacy of the Biased Sample is mitted whenever the data for a statistical inferenceare drawn from a sample that is not representative of the population under consideration. The datadrawn and used to make a generalization is drawn from a group that does not represent the whole.Here is an argument that mits the fallacy of the biased sample:ln a recent survey conducted by Wall Street Weekly, 80% of the respondents indicatedtheir strong disapproval of increased capital gains taxes. This survey clearly shows thatincreased capital gains taxes will meet with strong opposition from the electorate.The data for the inference in this argument are drawn from a sample that is notrepresentative of the entire electorate. Since the survey was conducted of people who invest, notall members of the electorate have an equal chance of being included in the sample. Moreover,persons who read about investing are more likely to have an opinion on the topic of taxes oninvestment different from the population at large.3. The Insufficient Sample FallacyThe Fallacy of the Insufficient Sample is mitted whenever an inadequate sample is usedto justify the conclusion drawn.Here39。s an argument that mits the fallacy of the insufficient sample:I have worked with 3 people from New York City and found them to be obnoxious, pushyand rude. It is obvious that people from New York City have a bad attitude.The data for the inference in this argument are insufficient to support the conclusion. Threeobservations of people are not sufficient to support a conclusion about 10 million.4. Ad hominenOne of the most oftenemployed fallacies, ad hominen means to the man and indicates anattack that is made upon a person rather than upon the statements that person has made. Anexample is: Don39。t listen to my opponent, he39。s a homosexual.5. The Fallacy of Faulty AnalogyReasoning by analogy functions by paring two similar things. Because they are alike invarious ways, the fallacy is that it is likely they will share another trait as well. Faulty Analogyarguments draw similarities between the things pared that are not relevant to the characteristicbeing inferred in the conclusion.Here39。s an example of a Faulty Analogy fallacy:Ted and Jim excel at both football and basketball. Since Ted is also a track star, it is likelythat Jim also excels at track.In this example, numerous similarities between Ted and Jim are taken as the basis for the inferencethat they share additional traits.6. Straw ManHere the speaker attributes an argument to an opponent that does not represent theopponent39。s true position. For instance, a political candidate might charge that his opponent wantsto let all prisoners go free, when in fact his opponent simply favors a highly limited furloughsystem. The person is portrayed as someone that they are not.7. The After This, Therefore, Because of This Fallacy (Post hoc ergo propter hoc)This is a false cause fallacy in which something is associated with something else becauseof mere proximity of time. One often encounters in news stories people assuming that becauseone thing happened after another, the first caused it, as with I touched a toad, I have a wart, thetoad caused the wart. The error in arguments that mit this fallacy is that their conclusions arecausal claims that are not sufficiently substantiated by the evidence.Here are two examples of the After This, Therefore Because of This Fallacy:Ten minutes after walking into the auditorium, I began to feel sick tomy stomach. There must have been something in the air