Logical Reasoning

PT152 · S1 · Q4 Archaeologist: Our university museum

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Archaeologist: Our university museum possesses several ancient artifacts whose ownership is in dispute.

Background

Our university museum possesses several ancient artifacts whose ownership is in dispute.

Opposing Idea (Although)

The museum has documentation showing that the items were obtained legally.

Evidence (Given that)

There is an overriding principle that any important ancient artifact belongs by rights to the nation on whose territory it was discovered.

An institution is obliged to honor those rights.

Conclusion

Our museum should return the artifacts.

Evaluate

A few clues help us identify the parts of this argument. One of the most helpful ones is the phrase "given that" at the beginning of the final sentence. "Given that" is a premise indicator, and this sentence follows a common pattern:

Premise Indicator — Premise — Comma — Conclusion

"Given that" is followed by the premise about an institutions obligation. That statement is followed by a comma, which is followed by the argument's conclusion. It also helps to note that this final statement is a recommendation: "the museum should return the artifacts." A recommendation will commonly be the conclusion of an argument.

It helps to be sure that nothing else in the argument is a conclusion that we somehow overlooked. The premise we just mentioned speaks of an obligation "to honor those rights." What rights? The ones mentioned in the preceding sentence, the rights a nation has to important artifacts discovered on their territory.

The word "although" at the beginning of the second sentence is a hint that the conclusion will eventually refute or at least pivot away from this statement. That's exactly what happens: although the museum has documentation showing that the items were obtained legally, our museum should return the artifacts.

The very first sentence seems like a statement of fact, so it's not likely to be a conclusion. After reading the rest of the statements, it appears to be background information. It provides context, but by itself is not the conclusion.

Goal

Look for an answer that mirrors the final statement in the argument. Beware of answers that describe other parts of the argument, like premises.

4.

Which one of the following most accurately expresses the overall conclusion of the archaeologist's argument?

  1. Correct

    The university museum should return

    Why this is right

    This mirrors the final statement in the argument. It refers back to the first sentence, which states that the museum is a university museum and that the artifacts are ancient ones whose ownership is in dispute.

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

    94% picked this

  2. Any important ancient artifact belongs

    Premise

    This is a premise that is used to support the conclusion.

    2% picked this

  3. The ancient artifacts whose ownership

    Opposing Idea

    The fact that the artifacts were obtained legally (or at least the university has documents stating so) is an opposing idea that the argument pivots away from. It's not the conclusion of the argument.

    0% picked this

  4. The university museum is in

    Background

    This is background information that provides context for the argument. It's not the conclusion.

    1% picked this

  5. There is an overriding principle

    Premise

    This is a premise that is used to support the conclusion.

    3% picked this

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