Logical Reasoning

PT6 · S3 · Q14 When the economy is in a recession

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When the economy is in a recession, overall demand for goods and services is low.

Conclusion (Therefore)

Bank interest → economy is not rates are not low in a recession

Evidence

Economy is in → overall demand for goods a recession and services is low

Overall demand for goods → Bank interest and services is low rates are low

Evaluate

Both premises and the conclusion are conditional statements, so if any answer fails to provide us with three conditionals, we'll know it's wrong.

The two premises chain together to give us this:

Econ in → Demand for → Bank interest recession G&S low rates are low

By contrapositive, this chain would look like,

Bank interest → Demand for → Econ not in rates now low G&S not low recession

The conclusion is just giving us that, "If the 1st, then the 3rd" from the contrapositive chain.

Goal

Look for an argument with two conditional premises that chain together. P1: A → B P2: B → C

And then look for the conclusion to say "if not the 3rd, then not the 1st" ~C → ~A

14.

The reasoning in which one of the following most closely parallels the reasoning in the argument above?

  1. If the restaurant is full,

    Bad Premise Match

    These two conditionals don't chain together. They are just reversals of each other (forming a bi-conditional relationship). But that's enough reason to ditch this one. Original: P1: A ? B P2: B ? C This answer: P1: A ? B P2: B ? A

    13% picked this

  2. Correct

    If the fish is ready,

    Why this is right

    We've got our two conditional premises that chain together. fish ready ? cooked through A ? B cooked through ? white B ? C and then our conclusion gives us the first and last of the contrapositive chain not white ? not ready ~C ? ~A

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

    80% picked this

  3. If pterodactyls flew by flapping

    Bad Premise Match

    There is only one premise, so we definitely won't get two conditional premises that chain together.

    0% picked this

  4. If you want to put

    Bad Conclusion Match

    These two conditionals do chain together. P1: Put in pleats ? 2x material P2: 2x material ? none for top The correct conclusion would say, So if there is some left for the top, then you didn't put in pleats. Instead, the conclusion says "If put in pleats, then none left for top".

    1% picked this

  5. If economic forecasters are right,

    Bad Conclusion Match

    These two conditionals do chain together. P1: EF's are right ? inflation P2: inflation ? GP loses The correct conclusion would say, So if the governing party does not lose the election, then the economic forecasters were not right. Instead, the conclusion says "If they do lose election, the forecasters were right."

    5% picked this

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