To find the conclusion, always think to yourself of what sentence or phrase is being supported by the rest of the stimulus. Additionally, if you're stuck and can't figure out the conclusion between two sentences, a good trick is to put the word "because" in between the sentences and then see which way makes more sense.
The premises will always be providing support to another sentence or phrase in the stimulus. Sometimes, you'll encounter intermediate conclusions/major premises/subsidiary conclusions. These are all terms for premises that function as both a conclusion as well as a premise for another larger conclusion in the stimulus. Ultimately, the main conclusion of the stimulus will not be supporting anything else; the rest of the stimulus will be supporting it.
Does this make sense? Let us know if you have any other questions!
nikki0218August 10, 2019
Can you go through each answer and which answer would be correct
VictoriaAugust 10, 2019
Hi @nikki0218
Happy to help! Let's start by going through the passage.
The passage begins by telling us that "mainstream economic theory holds that manufacturers, in deciding what kinds of products to manufacture and what form those products should have, simply respond to the needs and desires of consumers."
However, the passage concludes that "their [economic theorists'] motive in advancing this theory must be something other than disinterested concern for scientific truth."
Why? Because "most major manufacturers manipulate and even create consumer demand, as anyone who watches television knows" and "even mainstream economic theorists watch television."
The question stem asks us to identify the role that the claim that manufacturers manipulate and create consumer demand plays in the argument. We can see from our breakdown of the argument above that this claim is one of the premises on which the argument bases its conclusion. This is directly restated by answer choice A, making it the correct answer.
B is incorrect because the conclusion of the argument is that the economic theorists must be motivated by something other than scientific truth.
C is incorrect because the passage is arguing against the economic theory itself.
D is incorrect because the passage does not provide a possible objection to the argument's conclusion.
E is incorrect because, while the claim does provide background information, this is necessary as opposed to supplementary. If we remove the claim that manufacturers manipulate and create consumer demand, the conclusion can no longer be drawn that there is an alternative motive to advancing the theory because there is no information provided that conflicts with the theory.
Hope this is helpful! Please let us know if you have any further questions.
