#8 - Alice: Quotas on automobile imports to the United

[LSAT2020]

I chose C and am struggling to see how E is the correct answer. Would really appreciate some insight. Thank you in advance!

[Jeremy Press]

Hi LSAT2020,

Answer choice E is an accurate statement. What are the reasons Alice cites in favor of her conclusion? (1) That domestic producers would have to compete, (2) that they would be forced to produce higher-quality cars, and (3) that competition would be good for consumers. Does David address.....any of those reasons? Nope. He doesn't talk about whether domestic producers would be competing with Japan. He doesn't talk about whether that would lead to higher-quality cars from domestic producers. And he doesn't talk about whether that specific competition with Japan would be good for consumers. So answer choice E is an entirely accurate description of David's argument, and is a mighty strong contender!

Answer choice C is incorrect, because, while David has shifted to a new subject (talking about other countries' use of quotas), he hasn't pointed out any assumption of Alice's argument. Did Alice have to assume that other countries weren't using quotas? Nope. She would say that was beside the point (irrelevant to her argument).

I hope this helps!

Jeremy

[Mattjsd]

Hi, this question is a method of reasoning, correct ? Thank you.

[Adam Tyson]

Correct, Mattjsd! Your job is to simply describe how the author built their argument.

[ashpine17]

This was echoed in another reply but I thought he was countering A’s argument by pointing out an assumption that other nations didn’t have quotas. One response said that assumption wasn’t necessary but Does every assumption have to be necessary?

[Dave Killoran]

Yes, by definition, an Assumption is necessary for the conclusion to be true. This fact is what allows the Assumption Negation Technique to work

[ashpine17]

I thought D was pointing out that A was assuming other nations didn't have quotas but I wasn't certain either way when heading to the answer choices. Does it ultimately not matter since that assumption is not necessary for her argument to be true?

[Poonam Agrawal]

Hi ashpine,

David isn't really pointing out that Alice has assumed other nations don't have quotas. David is just saying that Alice fails to realize this fact, which we don't necessarily know is true. Maybe Alice is aware that other nations have quotas, but she just didn't mention this in her argument because it was irrelevant to her point about Japanese competition.

David's overall method of reasoning is to cite completely different reasons than Alice to prove an opposing conclusion, which makes his response sort of random. He has basically sidestepped Alice's entire argument to push a different point instead. This makes answer choice (E) the best characterization here.

[Dancingbambarina]

Answer choice E carries with it the assumption David did not address Alice before responding. Surely A can be correct therefore, because it logically can follow - let's say - that you must think David thinksAlice contradicts herself becasue she ails to realize somethin that David thinks she thought was there originally

[Dave Killoran]

Answer choice E carries with it the assumption David did not address Alice before responding.

I don't understand this claim and I would not agree with it as stated.

Surely A can be correct therefore, because it logically can follow - let's say - that you must think David thinksAlice contradicts herself becasue she ails to realize somethin that David thinks she thought was there originally

A speaker believing someone failed to realize something is NOT the same as thinking that person contradicted themselves. A contradiction is an active state of of have two pieces in opposition to each other. There is no accusation of contradiction here, and certainly not a false one even if we granted an accusation was present.

Thanks!