Juarez thinks that

Answer choices

1. A

   Evidence17% picked this

   A leading science journal has concluded that data provided by the manufacturer of a certain controversial new medication are accurate. The journal is generally

   A leading science journal A has concluded that data provided by the manufacturer of a certain controversial new medication are accurate. The journal is generally reliable on such matters. If the company’s data A → S are accurate, the medication must be safe. Thus, the medication is S probably safe. The “if/then” rule should be the premise that is believed to be true. Instead the belief is the first premise that the data provided by the manufacturer are accurate.

   17%
2. B

   Wrong Structure3% picked this

   The data from the manufacturer of a controversial new medication prove that the medication is safe, because a leading science journal has concluded that

   The leading science journal ~PS → ~CS would not have done so [concluded that the medication is safe], had the manufacturer’s data not proven that the medication is safe. A leading science journal CS has concluded that the medication is safe. The data from the PS manufacturer of a controversial new medication prove that the medication is safe. The “if/then” rule should be the premise that is believed to be true. Instead the belief is the first premise that the data provided by the manufacturer are accurate.

   3%
3. C

   Correct66% picked this

   A leading science journal states that a certain controversial new medication is safe if the data provided by the company that developed the drug

   Why this is right

   A leading science journal A → S states that a certain controversial new medication is safe if the data provided by the company that developed the drug are accurate. The science journal is rarely wrong about such matters. The company’s data are A accurate. Thus, the medication is S probably safe. This argument relies on a conditional rule that a science journal believes to be true. It supports the rule by testifying to the credibility of the science journal. Next, it asserts the sufficient condition of the rule is true. Finally, it concludes that the necessary condition is therefore likely to be true.

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

   66%
4. D

   Wrong Structure10% picked this

   A leading science journal states that the data provided by the manufacturer of a controversial new medication are probably accurate and that if they

   If they [the manufacturer’s A → S data] are accurate, the medication is safe. The science journal is fairly reliable on such matters. A leading science journal A states that the data provided by the manufacturer of a controversial new medication are probably accurate. Thus, the manufacturer’s A data are probably accurate. The “if/then” rule should be the premise that is believed to be true. Instead the belief is the third premise that the data provided by the manufacturer are probably accurate

   10%
5. E

   Wrong Structure5% picked this

   The data from the manufacturer of a controversial new medication are probably accurate, because a leading science journal has published the data and has

   A leading science journal has published the data and has concluded that the data are probably accurate. Moreover, the journal is fairly reliable on such matters. The data from the manufacturer of a controversial new medication are probably accurate. This argument does not include an “if/then” statement.

   5%