Question

01:24:43

How does the author's use of a false dilemma impact
the overall argument?
O The employee will believe that company policies
should only be followed when necessary.
O The employee will be convinced of the need to please
customers and will get in trouble at work.
O The employee will become anxious about their
chances of being successful as a new retail sales
representative.
O The employee will doubt the manual's credibility
because other valid options are missing from the
argument.

Answer 1

The presence of a false dilemma in an argument can lead to a loss of credibility and persuasiveness, as it presents a limited scope of options and ignores other possibilities, leading the audience to question the argument's validity.

Step-by-step explanation:

The use of a false dilemma or false dichotomy can significantly impact the credibility and persuasiveness of an argument. When an author presents a situation as having only two mutually exclusive options and ignores other potential alternatives, they effectively limit the reader's or listener's choice. This can lead to the audience doubting the argument's validity because they recognize that the argument is not considering all of the relevant possibilities.

In a scenario where an employee is labeled as a thief based on limited evidence, the false dilemma can cause the employee to question whether the policies they are being judged by are fair or complete. Moreover, when a reader finds that a manual or argument is presenting a false dilemma, they may feel that the author is manipulating the argument to fit a particular agenda or conclusion, dismissing other valid options that may be more reasonable or aligned with the reader's experiences and knowledge.