#12 - Our computer experts are asked from time to time to

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

Must Be True—PR. The correct answer choice is (C)

The author of this stimulus presents the problem of particular preference taking priority over profitability. Computer experts prefer the latest technology, even though such technology is generally unperfected and less profitable than other investments. The question stem requires that we find the answer choice most closely aligned to the principle illustrated in the stimulus. The correct answer choice will likely reflect a choice that is based on personal preference rather than another choice that might be better.

Answer choice (A): Although this answer choice does provide two different bases for the decision presented, this does not reflect the principle in the stimulus, because personal preference does not get prioritized over the greater good—it is not clear that education would otherwise be preferable to shared professional interests.

Answer choice (B): This answer choice does present conflicting priorities, but the scenario is unlike that of the stimulus, where personal preference comes into play.

Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer choice, providing, as prephrased above, a scenario wherein decisions are made by the librarians based on their reading preferences rather than the other choice which would better serve the greater good.

Answer choice (D): This answer choice involves the choice of less work over more learning; this is not analogous to the preference reflected in the stimulus, which ignores the greater good.

Answer choice (E): Since this choice is not based on personal preference (it is based on viewer preference), this does not reflect the principle at work in the stimulus.

[jgray]

I had a hard time choosing between C & D, but chose the C. Could you expand on their differences a little more? They both seem to say that they are choosing their own preferences over the bigger picture.
Thank you.

[Jonathan Evans]

JGray,

Good observations! You've got the right idea; there's just one more step to getting the right answer.

Let's say you come up with the prephrase that the stimulus illustrates a situation in which:

• A group chooses its own preferences even though these preferences are to the detriment of others.

You do find a match with both Answer Choices (C) and (D). What's the next step? Try to identify the differences or distinction between choices (C) and (D). For instance:

• In (C) we have a situation in which the librarians choose books they enjoy, while in (D) we have a situation in which students choose classes they find easy.

Isolate this distinction and revisit the initial scenario to see which answer provides a better match. In the stimulus, why or how do the computer experts choose technology? Do they choose it because they find it enjoyable or because they think it will be easy to work with? Since these experts are choosing technology that "excites" them, I would argue that this distinction provides better support for Answer Choice (C).

I hope this helps!

[mN2mmvf]

The pre-phrase I had for this question was, "one group of people make a self-interested decision, but really that makes everyone worse off." I thought D served that better, because the kids were self-interestedly choosing to do the least amount of work, even though that makes them worse off because they learn less.

But (C) doesn't have the decision-maker benefitting themselves; the librarians aren't the ones patronizing the library so they're not making a self-interested decision. Obviously, the second part of the answer choice fits, but choice (D) says that the kids aren't learning, so we know there too that their interests aren't being served.

I can see why C works, but I don't quite see why D does not.

[Claire Horan]

Hi mN2mmvf,

In the stimulus, the computer experts' choices interest them but are not in the best interests of their company. Answer choice (C) is parallel: the librarians' choices interest them but are not in the best interests of their community. One way answer choice (D) is not parallel has already been pointed out—namely that the students' excitement or enjoyment of the classes is not part of the equation. For me the more striking difference is that the students' lazy choices harm themselves but not necessarily anyone else, while both the computer experts and the librarians interest themselves at the expense of others.