Logical reasoning PrepTest 155 · Section 2 · Question 16

Incorrect. There's no support for the statement that nations don't have consciences, so it can't be a conclusion of any type.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Argument Structure

Stimulus Summary:
Blame requires conscience/agency. Groups don't have either. So they can't be worthy of praise or blame, and therefore any attempt to praise or blame a group has to be rephrased to be about the members of the group.

Answer Anticipation:
The statement in question is a specific premise that a generality is applied to (the first sentence) in order to reach an intermediate conclusion that then supports the main conclusion. Tricky argument structure! It's important to note that the first sentence is an intermediate conclusion—it's an opinion backed up by several statements, and the last sentence is the main conclusion.

Answer Explanation:
Complex, but this is the answer. Nations not having consciences builds with blame requiring a conscience to reach the intermediate conclusion—groups (nations) can't be blamed. This supports the last sentence, so this is the answer.

Key Takeaway:
Argument Structure questions tend to have more complex structures, but the whole question revolves around figuring it out. Take your time, unpack the argument, and the answer will be easier to find.

Incorrect. No, it is a premise that leads to the main conclusion, not an implication of it. There are no implications of the main conclusion stated in the argument.

Incorrect. If anything, it's related to an instance of the intermediate conclusion, not the main conclusion, which is about individuals that make up the groups.

Incorrect. Since it has no support, it can't be any type of conclusion.