"Assumes" in this example definitely tells us that this is a Strengthen with Necessary Question but you do not want to overgeneralize that any time you see "assume" it means Strengthen with Necessary Question.
For example:
"The conclusion of the argument is properly drawn if which one of the following is assumed?"
This is a Strengthen with Sufficient Question.
Hope that helps! Please let us know if you have any other questions.
joshgosh50November 18, 2019
So if the question stem contains only "assume" and no "if assumed" it is a strengthen with necessary?
LamontJanuary 25, 2022
Just to confirm then the sufficient condition has the bearing on the conclusion? In other words, one can only conclude an argument from the sufficient condition, not a necessary condition. Is this what you mean in your example question above that illustrates the reason to not generalize the word assumes? I have this in my notes from the lectures of sufficient and necessary conditions.
RaviFebruary 4, 2022
@jgandan50, "assumed" vs. "if assumed" won't tell you whether or not a question is a strengthen with necessary or strengthen with sufficient question.
The two question types you're referring to are strengthen with a necessary premise and strengthen with a sufficient premise. Let's take a look at how they differ.
1) strengthen with a necessary premise questions
These questions typically say things like
Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?
Which one of the following is an assumption required by the editorial's argument?
The consumer's argument relies on the assumption that
Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?
Which one of the following is an assumption required by the researcher's argument?
The key giveaway in these question stems that tell us they're strengthen with necessary premise questions is that they all contain wording that tells us that we're looking for an assumption that the argument NEEDS/REQUIRES/HAS TO HAVE in order for it to have any chance at holding up.
Necessary premises are premises that must be true in order for the argument to hold. In other words, if a necessary premise is false, then the argument falls apart.
2) strengthen with a sufficient premise questions
These question types typically say things like
Which one of the following, if assumed, enables the psychologist's conclusion to be properly drawn?
The ethicist's conclusion follows logically if which one of the following is assumed?
The argument's conclusion follows logically if which one of the following is assumed?
Which one of the following, if assumed, enables the essayist's conclusion to be properly drawn?
The conclusion of the criminologist's argument is properly inferred if which one of the following is assumed?
The key giveaway in these question stems that tell us they're strengthen with a sufficient premise questions is that they all contain language that tells us that we're looking for an assumption that, if true, ENABLES THE CONCLUSION TO BE DRAWN/JUSTIFIES THE ARGUMENT, etc. In other words, we're looking for an assumption that, if true, makes the argument valid.
Sufficient premises are premises that, if we add them to the argument, automatically make the argument valid.
To recap, think of necessary premises as premises that, if false, make the argument lose. Think of sufficient premises as premises that, if true, make the argument win (valid).
RaviFebruary 4, 2022
@Lamont, yes, the sufficient condition is the condition that, if met, guarantees the necessary condition.
