Logical Reasoning

PT124 · S2 · Q6 Some argue that laws are

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Some argue that laws are instituted at least in part to help establish a particular moral fabric in society.

Premises

The primary function of law is to order society so its institutions, organizations, and citizenry can work together harmoniously, regardless of further moral aims. The highest courts have on occasion treated moral beliefs based on conscience or religious faith as grounds for making exceptions in the application of laws.

Opposing View

Some argue laws are at least partly meant to establish a moral fabric in society. The author allows this is partly true but insists ordering society is the primary function.

Evaluate

The second premise — that high courts sometimes grant exceptions based on moral or religious belief — is concrete data. From it, we can directly infer that the application of law sometimes accounts for the beliefs of the people governed.

Goal

Find a careful, hedged inference. The right answer should be modestly supported, not a sweeping claim about law's nature.

6.

The statements above, if true, most strongly support which one of the following?

  1. Correct

    The manner in which laws

    Why this is right

    This is a modest inference directly supported by the second premise. The stimulus tells us highest courts have on occasion made exceptions for moral or religious beliefs — that is, the application of law has sometimes taken those beliefs into account. The hedge "sometimes" matches the stimulus's "on occasion." The inference is small enough to be safe and large enough to actually say something.

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

    80% picked this

  2. The law has as one

    Too Strong

    The author says law's primary function is ordering society "regardless of any further moral aims of the law." That language allows that there might be further moral aims — just that they are secondary. This answer says law is "devoid of moral aims" — completely free of them. That goes further than the stimulus supports.

    5% picked this

  3. Actions based on religious belief

    Too Strong

    The stimulus says actions based on conscience or religious belief have on occasion been treated as grounds for exception — not that such actions tend to receive court protection. "Tend to" implies a general pattern; "on occasion" is occasional. This is a stronger generalization than the evidence supports.

    3% picked this

  4. The way a society is

    Too Strong

    This is a sweeping prescriptive claim — that society's legal ordering should not reflect any moral convictions. The stimulus only argues that ordering, not moral teaching, is law's primary function. It does not insist that legal ordering must be morality-free, just that morality is secondary. This goes too far.

    5% picked this

  5. The best way to promote

    Too Strong

    "The best way" is a sweeping superlative. The stimulus says law's primary function is to order society, which suggests it is one method — but not that it is the best way to promote cooperation. Other methods (culture, education, economic incentives) might be equally good or better. This goes beyond what the stimulus supports.

    6% picked this

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