Columnist: Although there is and should be complete freedom of thought and expression, that does not mean that there...

Naz on November 15, 2013

Alright, so let's break down the principle in this stimulus. Though we have complete freedom of thought and expression, that does not mean that there is nothing wrong with exploiting depraved popular tastes for the sake of financial gain. So we are given an all encompassing rule telling us something is okay, but then qualifying that though we have this all encompassing rule, it doesn't mean that something depraved that falls under that rule is exempt from being considered as wrong.

This is an Illustration question, so we are looking for the answer choice that most closely conforms to this principle.

(A) is incorrect because the principle does not discuss the government granting a right to create. The principle merely states that there could still be something wrong with exploiting depraved popular tastes despite there being complete freedom of thought and expression.

(B) is incorrect because the principle does not discuss the freedom to refrain from doing something that is depraved. It discusses the freedom to do something and that if that something is depraved then it is not free from being judged as wrong.

(C) is CORRECT because it goes along with the stimulus. We are given an all encompassing rule that the public is free to purchase whatever recordings that are produced. But, just as in the stimulus, this still does not mean that it is morally acceptable to publish books that pander to people with depraved tastes. This answer choice clearly conforms most closely to the principle cited in the argument.

(D) is incorrect because again we are not discussing the government limiting something. Rather we are looking for an answer choice that discusses an all encompassing rule and qualifies that something depraved that falls under the rule is not exempt from being considered wrong.

(E) is incorrect because it is the opposite of what the principle in the argument states: just because there is complete freedom of speech does not mean that exploiting depraved popular tastes is not wrong.

I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any more questions!

odsimkins on April 17, 2020

I don't really understand your explanation as to why D is wrong -- yes we are not talking about the government limiting something in the passage, but we are also not talking about publishing companies. I thought D was right because it talks about an entity doing something about the depraved product, thereby removing it from financial exploitation.

I guess I didn't put together that the passage was talking about morals? I'm not sure can you maybe try to explain one more time?

BenMingov on April 23, 2020

Hi Odsimkins, thanks for the question.

We are trying to match a judgment with the principle cited in the passage. There should be freedom in some area, followed by a moral judgment about what might not be right.

D is incorrect because it makes a hard statement that there is freedom, rather than should be freedom. The second part states that the government may not to do something. Not making a judgment morally in the same way that the passage does.

I hope this helps. Please let me know if you would like me to expand further!