The Jacksons regularly receive wrong–number calls for Sara, whose phone number was misprinted in a directory. Sara co...

Melody on November 11, 2014

Conclusion: Although it would not be wrong for the Jacksons to tell callers trying to reach Sara merely that they have dialed the wrong number, it would be laudable if the Jacksons passed along Sara's correct number.

Why? Well, we know that the Jacksons regularly receive wrong-number calls for Sara, whose number was misprinted in a directory. Sara let the Jacksons know of the misprint and her correct number. The Jacksons did not lead Sara to think that they were going to pass along her correct number, but it would be helpful for Sara if they did so and of no difficulty for them.

Answer choice (A) states: "It is always laudable to do something helpful to someone, but not doing so would be wrong only if one has led that person to believe one would do it."

So, if something is helpful to someone, it is laudable.

P: H2S ==> L
not L ==> not H2S

And, if it is wrong to not help someone then it is because one has led that person to believe one would do it.

P: W ==> OLB
not OLB ==> not W

We know that it would be helpful to Sara for the Jacksons to give out her correct number, i.e. "H2S," and we know that the Jacksons did not lead Sara to believe that they would pass along her correct number, i.e. "not OLB." Therefore, answer choice (A) helps us infer that passing along Sara's correct number would not be wrong, i.e. "not W," and that it would be laudable, "L,"--which is the conclusion of the argument.

Hope that was helpful! Please let us know if you have any other questions.

Meredith on November 6, 2019

What's wrong with C?

Ava on February 2, 2020

I have the same question about C. It seems that it is this same information but just in a different order. On another note, Would you have recommended diagraming for this entire question? If so, how would you have diagramed the stimulus?