Question

Our company wants to ensure that all employees are honest. One of the questions we ask each new job applicant is if he or she has ever stolen from an employer. We are confident that this will help weed out dishonest people. Which of the following, if true, exposes the major flaw in the argument?

• A. It is illegal to ask people if they have ever committed a crime.
• B. People who have stolen from a former employer are unlikely to admit this to a prospective new employer.
• C. Just because someone has never stolen before doesn't mean he or she might not steal in the future.
• D. Just because someone has stolen in the past doesn't mean he or she will steal again.
• E. People lie when they really want a job.

Hint:

In evaluating arguments, consider whether the assumptions behind the method proposed are likely to be true.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the argument.
The company believes that asking whether an applicant has stolen from a previous employer will help them identify dishonest people.

Step 2: Analyzing the options.
- (A) It is illegal to ask people if they have ever committed a crime: This option doesn't directly address the flaw in the argument but points to a legal issue.
- (B) People who have stolen from a former employer are unlikely to admit this to a prospective new employer: This is the flaw in the argument. If dishonest people are not likely to admit their actions, then the question won't effectively identify dishonest individuals.
- (C) Just because someone has never stolen before doesn't mean he or she might not steal in the future: This does not weaken the argument, as it addresses future actions rather than the question's effectiveness.
- (D) Just because someone has stolen in the past doesn't mean he or she will steal again: This also does not weaken the argument but points to the behavior of a person after a past action.
- (E) People lie when they really want a job: This does not weaken the argument significantly as it is a general statement, not directly related to the question's effectiveness.

Step 3: Conclusion.
Option (B) directly addresses the flaw in the argument because it shows that the question will not reliably identify dishonest applicants.