Logical Reasoning

PT133 · S2 · Q23 Ethicist: It would be a mistake

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Ethicist: It would be a mistake to say that just because someone is not inclined to do otherwise, she or he does not deserve to be praised for doing what is right, for although we do consider people especially virtuous if they successfully resist a desire to do what is wrong, they are certainly no less virtuous if they have succeeded in extinguishing all such desires.

Conclusion

It’s dumb to say that people don’t deserve praise for an action unless they were tempted to do otherwise.

Evidence

Obviously it’s commendable when people transcend a temptation to act badly in order to act rightly, but it’s still commendable when people do something right, even if they weren’t tempted to act badly or have managed to eliminate that temptation from their lives.

Evaluation

The conclusion is the first idea, and the support is what comes after for (the common premise trigger words are F.A.B.S. = for, after all, because, since). That premise says, “Although _______ “. Structurally, we know that the first half of that idea is a counterpoint, while the main clause is what the author really wants us to hear.

The claim we’re asked about is the although half of the premise. So we would call this idea a disclaimer, a counterpoint, a concession that the author makes before giving us her actual premise.

Goal

Something like a concession/counterpoint/disclaimer to people who want to only praise those who’ve overcome temptations.

23.

The assertion that people are considered especially virtuous if they successfully resist a desire to do what is wrong plays which one of the following roles in the ethicist's argument?

  1. It is a claim for

    Not Conclusion

    A claim for which the argument provides justification is a conclusion, but the conclusion is the very first claim.

    3% picked this

  2. Correct

    It makes an observation that,

    Why this is right

    Brutal to untangle this, so getting it through elimination might be most realistic. I usually read these backwards: is there a claim that the argument concludes is false? Sure. The author thinks it’s false to say “only people who’ve overcome temptation to do bad deserve praise for doing right”. Is the claim we’re asked about making an observation? Sure. Saying “we do consider people especially praiseworthy if they’ve overcome bad temptations” is an observation. The author concedes this point but doesn’t think it justifies her opponent’s position, since people who have gotten rid of bad temptations also deserve praise.

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

    57% picked this

  3. It is a claim, acceptance

    Too Strong

    Too Strong: “primary” / Out of Scope: “adequate conception of virtue” The argument is about whether or not certain people deserve praise. Although that’s related to virtue, it’s not the same as debating whether people have an adequate conception of virtue. The author never uses language that would indicate that one thing is the primary obstacle to achieving. Also, the author accepts this claim and yet presumably thinks she has an adequate conception of virtue, so it wouldn’t make sense to say that accepting this claim prevents you from correctly understanding virtue.

    15% picked this

  4. It is, according to the

    Opposite

    The author accepts this claim. She isn’t arguing that it’s false.

    6% picked this

  5. It reports an observation that,

    Not Premise

    This is not support for the conclusion. The word “although” telegraphs that this is a counterpoint/disclaimer/concession, not the direct support.

    19% picked this

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