Logical Reasoning

PT134 · S1 · Q14 Superconductor development will enable

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Superconductor development will enable energy to be transported farther with less energy lost in transit.

Main Conclusion (probably = opinion indicator)

This will probably improve industrial productivity.

Intermediate Conclusion (for)

A similar improvement resulted when oil and natural gas replaced coal as the primary fossil fuels used in North America.

Premises

Shipping costs, a function of the distance fossil fuels are shipped and the losses of material in transit, decreased for factory owners at that time.

Superconductor development will enable energy to be transported farther with less energy lost in transit.

Evaluate

Like the vast majority of Role and Main Conclusion questions, this is an "upside down argument", in which the Conclusion is followed by support (rather than the other way around). The opinion indicator on the Conclusion (probably) and the support indicator immediately following it (for), give us structural ways to locate the conclusion.

Goal

They're asking us about the role of the 2nd claim, which is our Conclusion. So let's look for an answer saying something like "it's the main conclusion".

14.

The claim that superconductor development will probably improve industrial productivity plays which one of the following roles in the argument?

  1. Correct

    It is a conclusion for

    Why this is right

    This correctly identifies the role of the claim as the conclusion of the argument and correctly references some of the support for this claim.

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

    76% picked this

  2. It is a generalization for

    Not a generalization / illustration

    This answer is somewhat tempting because it does make our claim sound like a Conclusion (if one claim is illustrated by another, the first claim was supported and thus could be called a conclusion). But is it a generalization to say "superconductor development will probably improve industrial productivity"? Not really. It sounds like a pretty specific prediction. If I say, "the Lakers' first round pick will probably improve their offensive productivity", is that a generalization? No. A generalization is a statement that can apply to many different data points (e.g. "Lawyers are smart" is a statement that can apply to many different specific lawyers). This claim is specifically about superconductor development and it's making one specific prediction about it. Furthermore, the first sentence definitely isn't an illustration of the second claim. The first sentence says "superconductor development will lead to X" and the second claim says "X will probably lead to greater industrial productivity". If the first claim says "A will lead to B" and the second claim says "B will probably lead to C", then we're building a causal chain. We're not offering a general claim and an illustration. The relationship between generalizations and illustrations is broader vs. specific, not that one begins where the last one ended and takes us to some place new. "Tanya is an attorney and she is brilliant" is an illustration of the generalization that "Lawyers are smart". It's basically the same claim twice, once in a broader style, once in a specific style.

    5% picked this

  3. It is an assumption supporting

    Wrong Role

    An assumption is by definition unstated, while this claim is clearly stated in the argument.

    16% picked this

  4. It is a premise offered

    Wrong Role

    This claim is the conclusion of the argument, while this answer suggests that it is a premise.

    2% picked this

  5. It is cited as evidence

    Wrong Role

    This claim is the conclusion of the argument, while this answer suggests that it is support for the conclusion.

    1% picked this

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