#23 - Columnist: The relief from the drudgery of physical

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

Assumption. The correct answer choice is (B)

The conclusion in this case is presented at the end of the stimulus: Modern technology reduces the wellbeing
of its users. This is based on the premise that the relief modern technology provides renders its
users dependent on it, thus reducing self-sufficiency.

Since the columnist leaps from self-sufficiency to well-being, an implicit premise (or assumption) is
that well-being and self-sufficiency are somehow related. Since we are asked to identify an essential
assumption, we should seek this Supporter Assumption, which will fill a gap in the argument by linking
these two variables.

Answer choice (A): This choice is neither supported nor required by the stimulus. The columnist argues
that it is the lack of self-sufficiency that reduces well-being, not the lack of physical labor. Furthermore,
the author argues that there is a reduction in well-being, which is not equivalent to saying that something
is essential to a fulfilling life.

Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice. The argument assumes that self-sufficiency
and well-being are related, and this answer choice reflects that relationship. Applying the Assumption
Negation technique, if self-sufficiency did not contribute to well-being, then we wouldn’t be able to
conclude that modern technology reduces the well-being of its users.

Answer choice (C): Since the argument in the stimulus does not concern freedom, this answer choice
can be confidently eliminated. Although “freedom” is aligned with the concept of “self-sufficiency,” this
choice does not provide the necessary link to well-being. This is not the supporter assumption we are
seeking.

Answer choice (D): Since the columnist does not consider whether anything discussed is justifiable, but
rather discusses only outcome, this choice is off-topic and incorrect.

Answer choice (E): This choice does not reflect an assumption required by the argument. The author
claims that modern technology, not technology in general, reduces the well-being of its users. Applying
the Assumption Negation technique, we can negate this answer choice to arrive at the following:
“Technology doesn’t necessarily inherently limit the well-being of its users.” This negated version does
not weaken the argument in the stimulus, so we know that this choice cannot be an assumption on which
the author’s argument relies.

[est15]

Hi, I understand why B is the right answer but when I was reading the columnist's argument I thought of another assumption: modern technology doesn't increase the overall well-being of its users. Because the conclusion is talking about overall well-being, the columnist--who addresses that technology might decrease well-being--also needs to make sure that the benefits of modern technology don't outweigh the negatives, otherwise his argument falls apart.

Is there sometimes more than one assumption in an argument, and the answer choice may only address one of them?

[Robert Carroll]

est,

Yes, there CAN be more than one assumption inherent in an argument. In fact, sometimes there are many, especially when those assumptions are Defenders. The author of stimulus needs to assume that no viable line of attack exists, and there are countless possible ways to attack any given argument, so the author ends up needing to make a lot of such assumptions.

This can complicate prephrasing, because it's not feasible to think of a large number of assumptions while prephrasing, but the task is simplified if, as here, we have a Supporter assumption situation - the argument never connected the new element ("overall well-being") in the conclusion with anything (like "self-sufficiency") in the premises. Thus, an answer choice that appropriately links the two is something to look for.

Of course, even if multiple assumptions are possible, the answer choices will not contain more than one correct answer.

Robert Carroll

[emilysnoddon]

Hello,

I chose answer choice B but I wasnt sure that this was correct. I used the Assumption Negation technique and wasnt sure that self-sufficiency had to contribute to a person's well-being. Can you please elaborate on why this answer choice is correct and why it is necessary to the argument?

Thank you,

Emily

[BethRibet]

Hi Emily,

Thanks for the question. It sounds like you were basically on the right track.

The important thing to notice about this argument is that the conclusion introduces a new concept, "well-being", which is never mentioned or paraphrased in any of the premises, but is the central point of the conclusion. In other words, for this conclusion to make any sense, we have to assume that something in the premises has to do with well-being. So you know it's likely that the right answer choice will reference well-being, which only leaves B & E as possibilities. E is pretty strongly stated, which definitely weighs against it, because there's not much support for such a broad generalization. More importantly, the pivotal point or premise leading to the conclusion is the second sentence, which tells us that over-dependence on technology causes a loss of self-sufficiency. So ideally, the answer choice will tell us that self-sufficiency has something to do with well-being. Answer choice B does this.

You can also, as you noted, try the assumption negation technique, which for answer choice B, would then read:

Self-sufficiency does not contribute to a person's well'being.

If this were true, then the conclusion really wouldn't follow at all from the argument, so this also indicates that B is indeed, the correct answer.

Hope this helps!
Beth

[ram06]

Hi Powerscore,

I was reviewing PT 44, question number 23 on LR1 about the "Drudgery of physical labor." I was quickly able to eliminate three of the five answers. I didn't take too much time choosing which of the two I had kept was the best answer. I got it right. But I am wondering if my process of choosing which was the best answer will hold up on other necessary assumption questions.

Basically, I knew that the answer must've been pretty simple and nothing extreme since it's a nec assumption question. Answer B (the correct answer) was simple and obvious. I eliminated the other choice I was looking at (D) because it was so rigid and strong, like an answer choice for sufficient assumption questions. In short, I chose B over D because it was exactly the type of answer I wanted in a necessary sufficient answer while D wasn't. Is my thinking correct here and can I apply it to all other necessary assumption questions?

[Jeremy Press]

Hi ram,

That's exactly the right way to think at a basic level about your contenders on an Assumption question--nice job! If you want to be certain that you've chosen the right answer, perform the Assumption Negation Technique. Does the logical opposite of the answer you prefer destroy the conclusion of the argument in the stimulus? If so, you know you're on the right answer. Simple as that!

Keep up the hard work!

[ToadKing]

If (B) had instead said "life's charm contributes to a person's well-being" would it still be correct? When I looked at the problem, I didn't know whether to link life's charm or self-sufficiency because I thought that both were part of the conclusion. Do we default to "self-sufficiency" because there is an "in addition to" leading up to "life's charm"?

Thanks!

[Rachael Wilkenfeld]

Hi Toadking,

We focus on the self-sufficiency part because it's the main clause of the conclusion. The "in addition to" portion is a dependent clause, and not the focus of the argument. We can remove it completely, and the argument would remain structurally the same.

When we identify the conclusion, it can be tempting to just mark the whole sentence as the conclusion. You want to drill down though and find the crucial, central part of the statement to make sure you aren't expanding the conclusion.

Hope that helps!