#16 - Philosopher: Groups are not the type of entity that

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

Method-Argument Part. The correct answer choice is (B).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice.

Answer choice (C):

Answer choice (D):

Answer choice (E):


This explanation is still in progress. Please post any questions below!

[mguitard]

Hello!

I chose answer A for this question because I assumed that the last sentence was the Main Conclusion and this sentence was an intermediate conclusion to support the main conclusion.

However, I can now see why B is correct and was hoping I could get guidance on my reasoning. The Stimulus reads as follows:
"Philosopher: Groups are not the type of entity that can be worthy of praise or blame. Blameworthiness implies conscience and agency. Nations do not have consciences. Families are not agents. Hence, any ascription of praise or blame to a group must be translated into some statement about individuals if we are to evaluate it properly."

Intermediate Conclusion: Groups are not the type of entity that can be worthy of praise or blame.
Main Conclusion: Hence, any ascription of praise or blame to a group must be translated into some statement about individuals if we are to evaluate it properly.
Support: Nations do not have consciences. Families are not agents

Support intermediate conclusion conclusion ?

Thanks so much!

[Luke Haqq]

Hi mguitard,

Your reasoning is accurate! You correctly identified the intermediate conclusion, main conclusion, and support.

If you're unsure whether a given sentence is a conclusion or a premise (or potentially functioning as both), then it's helpful to ask why that sentence is the case. If the other sentences answer this question, then you've correctly identified the conclusion and those other sentences are the premises supporting why that conclusion is the case. Where there is more complex reasoning, as here, that involves main and subsidiary conclusions, the subsidiary conclusion will both have its own premises that support it, and it itself functions as a premise used in support of the main conclusion.

[mikewazowski]

Hi,

I chose (D) in part because I didn't get the structure correct. I see why (B) is the best option, but how can I rule out (D)? "Nations do not have consciences" seems to be an instance of the general conclusion that "groups are not the type.. praise or blame".

Thanks!

[KelseyWoods]

Hi Mike!

"Nations do not have consciences" is not an instance (or example) of the conclusion that "Groups are not the type of entity that can be worthy of praise or blame." The statement is not just an example of a group that cannot be worthy of praise or blame. It is a reason why groups cannot be worthy of praise or blame--because they do not have consciences and " Blameworthiness implies conscience." Thus, it is offered as support for the intermediate conclusion, but is not a specific instance of it.

In this case, a specific instance of that intermediate conclusion would have to be something more along the lines of "For example, Country X should not be praised for their accomplishments in space travel, nor should they be blamed for their contributions to global warming."

Hope this helps!

Best,
Kelsey

[rafletch97]

Hi, I am really struggling to understand this question. I can see how B is correct, but I cannot see how D is incorrect. To me, support and example can mean the same thing. In this case, even though the stimulus does not explicitly read as "for example, nations do not have consciences" it reads as an example of the intermediate conclusion to me. Additionally, the term "general conclusion" does not seem that much different to me than "intermediate conclusion". The intermediate conclusion is general. Can you please explain where my reasoning is flawed and how we can definitively rule out Answer Choice D?

[Adam Tyson]

An instance of the intermediate conclusion would be an example of a group that cannot be assigned praise or blame, rafletch97, but the claim about nations is not that kind of claim. It says nothing about praise or blame, so it is not exemplifying that conclusion. Instead, it provides one of the reasons why groups cannot be assigned praise or blame.

Consider the intent of the author when thinking about these relationships. Did the author intend to use that claim about nations as support for a conclusion, or did they intend to use it as an example illustrating that conclusion? Looked at that way, it should seem clear that it was the former and not the latter.

And one more thing to consider: is answer D better than answer B? Remember, you are supposed to select the best answer, not just one that you can justify if you try hard enough to rationalize it. The right answer is right without any need for help from us. We shouldn't have to make any assumptions or twist the meaning of what they said. If you find yourself looking at an answer and thinking "but I can see a way to make this work," then it's probably the wrong answer.