Logical Reasoning

PT138 · S2 · Q2 "Dumping is defined as selling a product

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"Dumping" is defined as selling a product in another country for less than production cost.

Conclusion

Country F's producers are dumping shrimp.

Evidence

Dumping = selling a product in another country for less than production cost.

Shrimp producers from Country F are selling shrimp in Country G for less than it costs to produce shrimp in Country G.

Evaluate

At first glance, this argument might feel airtight. They provide a definition of dumping and then they seem to provide a fitting example of dumping. Where's the wiggle room?

Well, the definition of "dumping" is that you're selling something in another country for less than it cost to produce.

Doesn't that mean how much it cost to produce in YOUR country, not the country where you sell it?

It makes more intuitive sense to interpret "selling for less than production cost" as "the cost someone paid to produce it", which implies we're talking about the production cost in country where it's produced, not where it's sold.

So if we're saying that Country F is dumping shrimp, we would be saying that Country F is selling its shrimp in another country for less than it cost to produce the shrimp in Country F.

But we only know that they're selling it for less than it cost to produce the shrimp in Country G.

Goal

Look for an answer saying or an answer relating the cost of producing shrimp in G to that in country F.

2.

In order to evaluate the argument above, it is necessary to determine whether

  1. Correct

    "production cost" in the definition

    Why this is right

    This answer choice is just getting to the ambiguity of what "production cost" means, in the definition of Dumping. If it refers to the country where it's sold, then this argument's conclusion has been proven (the ultimate from of Strengthening). If it refers to the country where the shrimp was produced (i.e. Country F), then this argument's evidence is totally irrelevant (a powerful way of Weakening). The correct answer on Evaluate should feel like it Strengthens if you answer one way, and Weakens if you answer the other way (the Weaken direction is the more important one). This definitely qualifies as a correct answer, since one answer would prove, the other would badly weaken.

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

    84% picked this

  2. there is agreement among experts

    Out of Scope: harmful to economy

    This argument only cares about the truth value of whether Country F is / isn't dumping shrimp. The effects of that are beyond the scope of the conclusion.

    1% picked this

  3. shrimp producers from Country F

    Out of Scope

    Out of Scope: selling price in F We only care about the production cost in F vs. the selling price in G, if we're trying to assess whether or not the Conclusion is correct to call this Dumping. The selling price in F is irrelevant.

    9% picked this

  4. shrimp producers from Country F

    Out of Scope: out of business

    This argument only cares about the truth value of whether Country F is / isn't dumping shrimp. The consequences of that are beyond the scope of this Conclusion.

    1% picked this

  5. shrimp producers from Country F

    No Impact: how much less

    The definition of Dumping only cares if it's less than production cost. Whether it's a penny less or twenty dollars less, it's still Dumping. That's not what is keeping us from definitively knowing whether to call this Dumping.

    7% picked this

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