Logical Reasoning

PT125 · S4 · Q9 The Jacksons regularly receive

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The Jacksons regularly receive wrong-number calls for Sara, whose phone number was misprinted in a directory.

Evidence

The Jacksons did not lead ~LB + H + ~D Sara to believe that they would pass along the correct number, but it would be helpful to Sara and of no difficulty for them to do so.

Conclusion

Although it would not be ~PA → ~W wrong for the Jacksons to PA → L tell callers trying to reach Sara merely that they have dialed the wrong number, it would be laudable if the Jacksons passed along Sara’s correct number.

Evaluate

The argument needs to establish both that it would not be wrong if the Jackson’s did not pass along Sara’s number, but laudable if they did.

9.

Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the reasoning in the argument?

  1. Correct

    It is always laudable to

    Why this is right

    Since passing along Sara’s number would be helpful, this ensures that it would be laudable if the Jackson’s passed along her number. And by contrapositive, since the Jackson’s did not lead Sara to believe that they would pass along her number, it would not be wrong if the Jackson’s did not pass along her number.

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

    53% picked this

  2. Being helpful to someone is

    Too Weak

    This fails justify the part of ~PA → ~W the conclusion that says that it would not be wrong if the Jackson’s were not helpful (i.e., did not pass along Sara’s number).

    5% picked this

  3. If one can do something

    Too Weak

    This fails justify the part of ~PA → ~W the conclusion that says that it would not be wrong if the Jackson’s were not helpful (i.e., did not pass along Sara’s number).

    36% picked this

  4. Doing something for someone is

    Reversal

    This makes laudable a trigger L → D + W of a relationship, whereas the reasoning in the argument makes it an outcome of a relationship.

    1% picked this

  5. The only actions that are

    Reversal

    This makes laudable a trigger L → ~W of a relationship, whereas the reasoning in the argument makes it an outcome of a relationship.

    4% picked this

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