Logical Reasoning

PT105 · S1 · Q18 Sociologist: The intended function of

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Sociologist: The intended function of news is to give us information on which to act.

Conclusion (therefore)

In a consumer society, news is primarily entertaining and cannot serve its intended function.

Evidence

The intended function of news is to give us information on which to act.

In a consumer society, news becomes a product to be manufactured and dispensed to the consumer.

An enormous industry for the production and consumption of news has evolved.

We ingest news with an insatiable appetite.

Evaluate

This argument is following a comparative reasoning pattern, where it's contrasting what news is supposed to do (its intended function) with what it actually ends up doing (becoming primarily entertaining).

The sociologist is assuming there's a necessary conflict between news being entertaining and news providing actionable information. Essentially, the argument contends that if news is primarily entertaining, it fails to deliver the information needed for us to act.

We can try to defend the conclusion by considering if there are any cases where entertainment and actionable information coexist. Alternatively, the argument could be assuming that the qualities of "primarily entertaining" and "providing actionable information" are mutually exclusive or difficult to combine.

Goal

Let's find an answer that connects being "primarily entertaining" to being unable to provide the information on which we can act. Alternatively, the answer might need to defend against the idea that these two qualities could coexist effectively.

18.

Which one of the following is an assumption on which the sociologist's argument depends?

  1. News that serves its intended

    Too Strong: should not

    This answer choice is tempting because it connects the concepts of entertainment and intended function. However, it states that news servicing its intended function should not be entertaining at all, which goes beyond what the sociologist needs to assume. The crucial point is whether being primarily entertaining stops it from fulfilling its intended function, not that it shouldn't entertain at all.

    14% picked this

  2. Most viewers prefer that news

    Out of Scope: viewers' preferences

    This answer discusses the preferences of most viewers, which the argument never directly addresses. The conclusion revolves around the outcome of news as entertainment, rather than the preferences leading to its design in that way. (The word "most" is wrong on Nec Assump 99% of the time we see it)

    1% picked this

  3. News has only one important

    Too Strong: only one function

    While the sociologist emphasizes one function of the news, the argument doesn't require that news has only one important function. This claim is about how well news can serve its intended informational role, regardless of whether it may have other roles as well.

    3% picked this

  4. Correct

    News that primarily entertains does

    Why this is right

    This choice provides the missing link: if news is primarily entertaining, then it won't fulfill its intended function of providing actionable information. It addresses the core conflict identified in the argument—the assumed incompatibility between being primarily entertaining and serving its intended function.

    Skill tested: Necessary Assumption · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

    79% picked this

  5. A news industry that aims

    Too Strong: inevitably

    The argument isn't concerned with whether a profit-seeking news industry always presents news as entertainment. Instead, it's focused on whether currently, under these consumer society circumstances, the entertaining nature prevents news from being actionable.

    2% picked this

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