Logical reasoning PrepTest 148 · Section 3 · Question 21

Incorrect. While the stimulus does state that the good life isn't one of material well-being, it doesn't state that this leads to a bad life. There's no need to throw out material well-being as long as one can lead a morally virtuous life, so this answer establishes a connection the argument doesn't require.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Strengthen with Necessary Premise

Stimulus Summary:
Happiness comes from approval of one's character and actions. The good life is a morally virtuous life. Therefore, a happy life is a good life.

Answer Anticipation:
Throw out all of the premises here about what something isn't—those aren't actual premises. Instead, focus on the portions of the premises that discuss what something is. Here, the premises establish happiness as being related to approval of character and actions. The good life is related to morality. the conclusion then links these terms.

However, the terms themselves aren't linked! In order for this argument to work, we must link what happiness is to what the good life is—something linking approval of character/actions to a morally virtuous life.

Answer Explanation:
This answer connects what happiness is to what the good life is, thus allowing the conclusion to be drawn. If those who approve of their own character—i.e., those genuinely happy—don't tend to lead morally virtuous lives—i.e., they don't tend to lead good lives—then the argument falls apart.

Key Takeaway:
When terms are defined, those definitions (and, especially, the elements in them) can essentially be treated as interchangeable. Look for gaps and connections between the elements of the definitions when you're tasked with filling in gaps in an argument.

Additionally, when an argument says something "isn't" something else, that can essentially be ignored. Many, many things aren't other things—questions aren't bananas; toast isn't an animal—but those things they aren't don't help to establish arguments about what things are. Ignoring those parts of this argument would make it much easier to eliminate answers that are drawing unnecessary connections.

Incorrect. While genuine happiness tends to come from approval instead of pleasurable feelings, that doesn't require someone to not have pleasurable feelings in order to approve of their character/actions or feel genuine pleasure.

Incorrect. There's no discussion of goals in the stimulus, and they're not established as relevant to either of the key terms, so this answer is out of scope.

Incorrect. This answer is dealing with what the good life isn't, so it doesn't make the connection that the argument needs. Even if material well-being does increase a sense of approval, a morally virtuous life could still be what a good life is.