Logical Reasoning

PT130 · S3 · Q8 Otis: Aristotle's principle of justice

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Otis: Aristotle's principle of justice says that we should treat relevantly similar cases similarly.

Otis's 1st Claim:

Aristotle's principle of justice says that we should treat relevantly similar cases similarly.

Does Tyra dispute this? No. She explicitly accepts it.

Otis's 2nd Claim:

Therefore, it is wrong for a dentist to schedule an after-hours appointment to suit a family friend but refuse to do it for anyone else.

Does Tyra dispute this? Yes. She explicitly says "it's not unjust for dentists to do that."

Evaluate

In addition to accepting Aristotle's principle and disputing Otis's conclusion about dentists, Tyra offers a particular type of pushback: she defines / distinguishes something Otis has said. This is a common Rebuttal archetype and it shows up frequently on 2-Speaker Method questions.

When Otis applies Aristotle's principle to the Dentist situation, he's assuming the situation triggers the principle: that the situation of a friend and a non-friend are relevantly similar, and should therefore be treated similarly. Tyra distinguishes friends from non-friends, showing them to be meaninfully different. It is on these grounds that she disputs Otis's conclusion: she implies that Aristotle's principle isn't applicable to this case.

Goal

Look for an answer that says they disagree about Otis's conclusion, or his assumption that Aristotle's principle should apply in this case.

8.

It can be inferred on the basis of their statements that Otis and Tyra disagree about whether

  1. Aristotle's principle of justice is

    Out of Scope

    Neither Otis nor Tyra address whether Aristotle’s principle is widely applicable.

    7% picked this

  2. Correct

    situations involving friends and situations

    Why this is right

    While Otis would agree with this statement, Tyra would disagree with it.

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

    75% picked this

  3. human nature makes it impossible

    Both Disagree

    Both Otis and Tyra accept Aristotle’s principle.

    6% picked this

  4. dentists should be willing to

    Neither Agree

    Neither Otis nor Tyra would agree with this statement. Otis does not indicate whether dentists should schedule after-hours appointments for everyone or whether dentists should not schedule after-hours appointments for family friends.

    10% picked this

  5. Aristotle recognizes that friendship sometimes

    Out of Scope

    Neither Otis nor Tyra address whether Aristotle recognizes that friendship sometimes morally outweighs justice.

    1% picked this

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