#15 - Jewel collectors, fearing that their eyes will be

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

Strengthen—Principle. The correct answer choice is (D)

According to the author, jewel collectors do not buy diamonds unless they are guaranteed to be genuine. Applying the Unless Equation, the phrase modified by “unless” becomes the necessary condition, whereas the remainder is negated and becomes the sufficient condition:

PT62 - LR2 #15 diagram 1.png

The author seems to find this convention perplexing. If the naked eye cannot distinguish the real diamond from the counterfeit, she argues, the counterfeit would give just as much aesthetic pleasure as the real diamond. Because of this, the author concludes that both jewels should be deemed of equal value.

The author’s argument is structured as follows:

• Premise: The naked eye cannot distinguish a real diamond from a counterfeit.
  
  Sub. Conclusion: A counterfeit provides the same degree of aesthetic pleasure as a real diamond.
  
  Conclusion: Both jewels should be deemed of equal value.

Note that the question stem is a Strengthen—PR, not a Justify—PR because of the presence of the word “most,” which weakens the force required of the correct answer. In Strengthen—PR questions, the correct answer choice provides a broad premise that, when applied to the specific situation in the stimulus, helps support the conclusion. In this problem, you must select a principle that helps prove that a counterfeit should be deemed of equal value to a real diamond because they provide the same aesthetic value. Answer choice (D) contains the statement that is closest to this prephrase, and answer choice (D) is correct.

As a general rule, when prephrasing a principle that can be used to draw the conclusion, look for any logical gaps or deficiencies in the argument that need to be fixed. Also, make sure to distinguish between opposing viewpoints and identify a principle that would support the author’s position, not that of an opponent. Lastly, since a principle is usually a broad rule that specifies what actions or judgments are correct in certain situations, the correct answers often contain words such as “should,” “must,” and “ought to.”

Answer choice (A): Since the author argues that a counterfeit provides just as much aesthetic pleasure as a real diamond, it is unclear which jewel would provide the most aesthetic pleasure. Because this principle cannot specify what course of action would be preferable in this situation, this answer choice is incorrect.

Answer choice (B): The author’s conclusion revolves around the link between aesthetic pleasure and actual value. If the market value of a jewel were also a relevant consideration, this would only hurt the author’s conclusion that a counterfeit should be deemed equal in value to a real diamond. If you found this answer choice attractive, you were mistakenly looking for a principle that justifies the jewel collectors’ position.

Answer choice (C): Because this principle implies that the aesthetic pleasure received from a diamond is inherently subjective, it is inconsistent with the author’s argument, which assumes that the degree of aesthetic pleasure provided can be used as an objective criterion of value. Moreover, because this principle leaves unclear how to measure the value of a diamond.

Be careful not to select an answer just because you would agree with the general proposition in it. Since the nature of the question forces you to identify the answer that best justifies the author’s position, your personal views should have no role when selecting an answer choice.

Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice. If the value of a jewel should derive solely from the aesthetic pleasure it provides, and both jewels offer an equal degree of aesthetic pleasure, then they must be deemed of equal value. This principle connects the discrepancy between aesthetic pleasure and value, it helps justify the author’s conclusion.

Answer choice (E): Applying the Unless Equation, this principle can be diagrammed as follows:

PT62 - LR2 #15 diagram 2.png

This answer focuses on the practices of jewel collectors and has little to do with the author’s conclusion. Since the author argues that real diamonds and counterfeits should be deemed of equal value, this answer choice does not apply to the scenario in the stimulus.

[netherlands]

Hi there PS,

Could you confirm my Process of elimination for this question. The stimulus states that Both jewels should be deemed of equal value if they give equal aesthetic pleasure ( within which there is the assumption that one cannot tell the difference between the two).

Overall the conclusion informs us of why jewels should be equally valued - aesthetic pleasure. So do A and E become irrelevant since they discuss when a jeweler should or shouldn't purchase a jewel?

[Jason Schultz]

Hi there netherlands,

You are correct. Answer choices A and E address a different question than the one the author poses - namely, what jewels should collectors buy? The author is more concerned with how much the jewels themselves are valued, and answer choice D addresses that exactly.

[queenbee]

Hi

My interpretation of (D) was that it did not address the counterfeit question. When is it ok to purchase a counterfeit stone? If the naked eye cannot tell the difference between the real and the fake. If the value of the jewel is derived solely from the aesthetic value as in (D), then the jeweler could conceivably only purchase fake stones. What if a real stone in its raw format is not as beautiful as when it is cut and polished, however, the size is what makes it striking, and, economically, the jeweler could make many necklaces and rings? So the value of that stone is the size, and not, solely based on if it is aesthetically pleasing.

I selected (E) because it specifically addresses just the counterfeit question, not all jewels.

Any chance you can help with this?
Thank you

[Adam Tyson]

Your first job in most LR questions is to find and focus on the conclusion, queenbee. Here, the conclusion is the last line, that counterfeits and genuine jewels should be deemed of equal value.

Next, look at the premises. Why does this person think this? Because counterfeits and genuine jewels give equal aesthetic pleasure, since the naked eye can't tell one from the other.

So basically, it's "they look the same, so you enjoy them the same, so they should be treated the same" (bit of an oversimplification there, but that's the gist of what's going on).

To strengthen that argument, we don't need to say anything about counterfeits or genuine jewels, because they are already in both the premises and the conclusion. There's no "gap" involving those ideas. Instead, we need to close the gap between the premise about aesthetic pleasure and the conclusion about value. A good prephrase would be that value is just about aesthetic pleasure, and that nothing else matters.

Answer E tells us nothing about the value of these jewels, and nothing about the importance of aesthetic pleasure, so it fails to connect to either of the "rogue" elements in the argument. That makes it a loser in our book!

Look for these simple, mechanical connections between the things mentioned in the premises and the things mentioned in the conclusion. That's the source of most correct answers for Strengthen, Assumption, and Justify questions, and is also a big deal in Weaken and Flaw questions.

[queenbee]

Thank you! This helps alot!