Economist: The economy seems to be heading out of recession. Recent figures show that consumers are buying more dur...
MWinsJuly 16, 2020
Why is B incorrect?
To me, the statement's truth is indeed required in order for the argument's conclusion to be true.
To me, If consumers are NOT buying more durable goods than before, both premises are rendered false and the overall argument becomes invalid.
I understand why E is correct, but I do not see why B is incorrect.
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This question asks us to identify the specific role of a statement in the argument. So, let's start by breaking the argument down into its component parts:
Conclusion: The economy seems to be heading out of recession. Premise: Recent figures show that consumers are buying more durable goods than before. Intermediate conclusion: This indicates they expect economic growth in the near future.
Answer (E) as you noted is correct. That's because it correctly notes that the statement is a premise from which the conclusion is drawn.
Answer (B) is incorrect because it is too strong. The premise does not actually have to be true for the conclusion to be true- we don't know that there is not another reason out there that the conclusion could be true. Instead, it is just the basis that the argument is being rested on. That's what answer (E) states. You could also eliminate it by noticing that it doesn't actually answer the question. The question asks what role the claim plays in the argument. Stating that the claim's truth is required does not actually tell us the role it plays.
