Logical Reasoning

PT140 · S3 · Q5 Some people believe that

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Some people believe that advertising is socially pernicious-it changes consumers' preferences, thereby manipulating people into wanting things they would not otherwise want.

Setup Ideas

Some people think that advertising is messed up, because it brainwashes people into wanting things they wouldn't otherwise want.

But, isn't that what music art classes do to? They kind of "brainwash" you into now liking new things about art and music. And nothing's wrong with them.

Evaluate

Claim 1 -- Some people believe X Claim 2 -- However, idea 1 and idea 2. Claim 3 -- Therefore, _______ .

Because of this structure, we know that this paragraph is a rebuttal argument, and the blank we're filling in is its conclusion.

What does the conclusion sound like on a rebuttal argument? It sounds like, "Thus, they are wrong."

In this case, that would mean "They're wrong -- advertising is not socially pernicious."

Goal

The #1 thing to consider with Logical Completion is look for more provable language. So we want something safely worded like, .

5.

Which one of the following most logically completes the argument?

  1. consumers would still want most

    Wrong Objection

    Superficially, this doesn't look much like "they're wrong -- advertising ain't socially pernicious". The author is saying, "it's fine that advertising changes our preferences. after all, music and art classes do that and we don't consider them pernicious." This answer is saying, "It's fine that advertising changes our preferences. after all, it barely creates any new desires. We'd still want most of the same stuff even if there weren't ads."

    2% picked this

  2. the social perniciousness of advertising

    Opposite

    We want something that's like, "Therefore, they're wrong, advertising is not socially pernicious." This is saying, "advertising is socially pernicious for an additional reason."

    4% picked this

  3. Correct

    the fact that advertising changes

    Why this is right

    This is the author saying, "Therefore, these people are wrong. Since we tolerate preference-manipulation when it comes to music and art classes, telling me that advertising manipulates preferences does not by itself convince me that advertising is bad/pernicious." When authors are giving a flawed rebuttal (in the Assumption family), the conclusion often goes too far. The author will shoot down an argument for X, and then conclude that "X is false", which is the famous Unproven vs. Proven False flaw. But the responsible conclusion to draw at that point is, "So clearly this argument for X has failed / it's unwarranted to conclude X / this evidence is not sufficient to prove X". That's what this answer choice is doing.

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

    88% picked this

  4. if advertising changes consumers' preferences,

    Too Strong

    Too Strong: generally Out of Scope: positive change The author never speaks to whether art/music classes or advertising changes preferences for the better or worse, and so we certainly can't jump to this big generalization that more than 50% of the time it's a positive change.

    2% picked this

  5. it is not completely accurate

    Wrong Objection

    Superficially, kinda feels like "they're wrong -- advertising ain't socially pernicious". But this is saying, "they're wrong -- advertising ain't changing people's preferences". That would be the author disagreeing with his opponent's premise, not their conclusion. The author is saying, "it's fine that advertising changes our preferences. after all, music and art classes do that and we don't consider them pernicious." This answer is saying, "advertising doesn't really changes our preferences".

    4% picked this

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