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- Sat Jul 08, 2017 10:43 am
#36941
Complete Question Explanation
Strengthen—Principle: The correct answer choice is (B)
The pacifist in the stimulus presents a couple of premises, and then takes a broad leap to the conclusion:
is a big jump in logic to conclude that even the threat of force is immoral.
Since we are asked to justify his reasoning, we must select a response that links threats with actions.
Answer choice (A): This choice does not address the pacifist’s leap, so it is incorrect. One of the
argument’s premises is that harm is always immoral, so the ability to draw a clear line between selfdefense
and aggression is not relevant. Either way, according to the author, the described behavior is
immoral, so this answer choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice, because if this is true, we can draw conclusions
about threats based on what we know about actions. This answer choice provides the required link
between actions and threats.
Answer choice (C): This response introduces a new consideration (that of good versus harm) but does
not address the leap in the author’s logic.
Answer choice (D): This answer choice is contrary to the conclusion in the stimulus, so it cannot
possibly help to justify the pacifist’s reasoning.
Answer choice (E): The stimulus concerns the morality of making a threat, not that of carrying out a
threat, so this response is off-topic and incorrect.
Strengthen—Principle: The correct answer choice is (B)
The pacifist in the stimulus presents a couple of premises, and then takes a broad leap to the conclusion:
- Premise: It is immoral to do anything that causes harm to another person.
Premise: Using force causes harm to another person.
Conclusion: Therefore the threat of force (even in self-defense) is immoral.
is a big jump in logic to conclude that even the threat of force is immoral.
Since we are asked to justify his reasoning, we must select a response that links threats with actions.
Answer choice (A): This choice does not address the pacifist’s leap, so it is incorrect. One of the
argument’s premises is that harm is always immoral, so the ability to draw a clear line between selfdefense
and aggression is not relevant. Either way, according to the author, the described behavior is
immoral, so this answer choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice, because if this is true, we can draw conclusions
about threats based on what we know about actions. This answer choice provides the required link
between actions and threats.
Answer choice (C): This response introduces a new consideration (that of good versus harm) but does
not address the leap in the author’s logic.
Answer choice (D): This answer choice is contrary to the conclusion in the stimulus, so it cannot
possibly help to justify the pacifist’s reasoning.
Answer choice (E): The stimulus concerns the morality of making a threat, not that of carrying out a
threat, so this response is off-topic and incorrect.