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- Sat May 14, 2016 11:49 am
#24791
Complete Question Explanation
Strengthen—PR. The correct answer choice is (B)
The conclusion is that there can be no moral duty to choose products in the way environmentalists urge (choosing only environmentally benign products). This is because people are unable to assess the environmental impact of a product, and thus, are unable to consciously restrict their purchases to environmentally benign products. More generally, the stimulus asserts that there can be no moral duty in a particular situation where circumstances make it impossible for people to perform that duty.
This is a principle question; we are looking for a principle that applies to the situation described that if believed, would strengthen the conclusion. So, we are looking for something that is actually relevant to the facts described in the stimulus, and would strengthen the conclusion therein.
Answer choice(A): This answer choice is incorrect because it describes a principle irrelevant to the stimulus. The stimulus asserts nothing about a moral duty about its effects on other people, only the environment.
Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice because the stimulus describes an example of this situation. People cannot do the impossible (consciously restrict their purchases based on a product's environmental impact which they cannot assess). Hence, if this answer choice is believed, then people in this situation do not have a moral duty to do the impossible, thus strengthening the conclusion.
Answer choice (C): This answer choice is also irrelevant. The stimulus makes an assertion regarding consumer choices, not about what people should be able to buy (or “what products are made available to them”).
Answer choice (D): This answer choice is incorrect because it is too general and off-topic. The stimulus does not say anything about producing the least total harm—it is more focused on peoples' moral duty to do something impossible.
Answer choice (E): This answer choice is incorrect because it goes on a tangent on legal and other kinds of duties. It does not address the meat of the stimulus—regarding the moral duty to do something impossible.
Strengthen—PR. The correct answer choice is (B)
The conclusion is that there can be no moral duty to choose products in the way environmentalists urge (choosing only environmentally benign products). This is because people are unable to assess the environmental impact of a product, and thus, are unable to consciously restrict their purchases to environmentally benign products. More generally, the stimulus asserts that there can be no moral duty in a particular situation where circumstances make it impossible for people to perform that duty.
This is a principle question; we are looking for a principle that applies to the situation described that if believed, would strengthen the conclusion. So, we are looking for something that is actually relevant to the facts described in the stimulus, and would strengthen the conclusion therein.
Answer choice(A): This answer choice is incorrect because it describes a principle irrelevant to the stimulus. The stimulus asserts nothing about a moral duty about its effects on other people, only the environment.
Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice because the stimulus describes an example of this situation. People cannot do the impossible (consciously restrict their purchases based on a product's environmental impact which they cannot assess). Hence, if this answer choice is believed, then people in this situation do not have a moral duty to do the impossible, thus strengthening the conclusion.
Answer choice (C): This answer choice is also irrelevant. The stimulus makes an assertion regarding consumer choices, not about what people should be able to buy (or “what products are made available to them”).
Answer choice (D): This answer choice is incorrect because it is too general and off-topic. The stimulus does not say anything about producing the least total harm—it is more focused on peoples' moral duty to do something impossible.
Answer choice (E): This answer choice is incorrect because it goes on a tangent on legal and other kinds of duties. It does not address the meat of the stimulus—regarding the moral duty to do something impossible.