Computers perform actions that

Answer choices

1. A

   Correct74% picked this

   Having volitional powers need not involve

   Why this is right

   This is very safe wording --- to support it, we only need one example of something that has volitional powers but doesn't have thinking. We have that: some nonhuman animals have volitional powers, and none of them are "thinking". How do we know that latter claim? We know that even computers aren't "thinking", they just perform actions that come closer to thinking than anything nonhuman animals do. When we say "computers get closer to thinking than nonhuman animals do", we're implying that computers get close, but not all the way, to 'thinking', and we're saying that nonhuman animals are even further from the status of 'thinking'. Being A need not mean B = "at least one A is not B"

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

   74%
2. B

   Too Strong: all non-animals16% picked this

   Things that are not animals do not have

   The information presented only covers computers (one type of non-animal) and nonhuman animals. We know that "one thing (computers) that is not an animal does not have volitional powers". But we don't know enough to make a categorical statement about all non-animals to say every non-animal thing does not have volitional powers.

   16%
3. C

   Too Strong: none2% picked this

   Computers possess none of the attributes of

   We know there is one attribute of some living things (volitional powers) that computers don't possess. But we can't say that computers have zero attributes of living things.

   2%
4. D

   Too Strong: necessary7% picked this

   It is necessary to have volitional powers in order

   We weren't given any information about any necessary requirements for thinking. It seems from the paragraph like humans are the only animals that think, but we don't know if volitional powers are required for humans to think.

   7%
5. E

   Too Strong: never2% picked this

   Computers will never be able to think as human

   We know that currently computers have come close to thinking, but have not done so. But we can't support the idea that computers will never be able to think as humans do.

   2%