Logical Reasoning

PT136 · S4 · Q14 University president: Research institutions

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University president: Research institutions have an obligation to promote research in any field of theoretical investigation if that research shows some promise of yielding insights into the causes of practical problems that affect people’s quality of life.

Principle

research shows some research institutions promise of yielding have an obligation to insights into causes → promote research in of practical problems any field of theoretical affecting quality of life justification

Evaluate / Goal

This principle only allows us to say that an institution does have an obligation, so if there are any answers saying that an institution doesn't have an obligation, we can immediately discard it.

Principles can only be used to support the ideas on their Right sides.

We want to hear about research that might yield insights with practical benefit, and then we want to see a conclusion saying "institutions are obliged to (should) promote that research".

14.

The principle stated by the university president, if valid, most helps to justify which one of the following actions?

  1. A university denies a grant

    Bad Left/Right Match Opposite Logic

    Given that this answer choice involves denying an application, rather than promoting research, it's hopeless from the start. This answer is trying to bait people into doing an "illegal light switch" (negation) of the conditional: if it isn't gonna yield shouldn't promote insights with practical ? that research benefits

    7% picked this

  2. A government agency funds a

    Bad Left Side Match

    Here, we have an agency promoting / funding a research project (right side match), but we're never told that the research is likely to yield insights into the causes of practical problems. To the contrary, it sounds like it's investigating something purely theoretical, as well as something super remote and removed from practical concerns.

    0% picked this

  3. A university funds a research

    Trap

    Bad Left Side Match Weak Right Side Match Here, we have an agency promoting / funding a research position (weak right side match), and we're never told that this research position has hope of yielding insights into the causes of practical problems. To the contrary, it sounds like it's just a paperwork processing position.

    1% picked this

  4. A foundation decides not to

    Bad Right Side Match

    This answer is about not funding a research proposal, whereas the principle only allowed us to derive that we should fund/promote certain research.

    0% picked this

  5. Correct

    A research institute funds an

    Why this is right

    The right side matches, since this is talking about funding/promoting an investigation. The left side matches, because this investigation is "shows some promise of yielding insights into the causes of practical problems". After all, it's "likely to aid in understanding proteins that cause disease", and diseases are definitely problems that affect people's quality of life.

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

    91% picked this

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