Critical Reasoning

In the modern era, society should accept the premise that equality before the law is not appropriate to the marketplace, where modern methods of marketing, packaging, and financing have reduced the ordinary consumer to a subordinate position. To protect the consumer from the hardship and oppression that could result from this inferior position, the law should limit the freedom of action of the enterprises with which the consumer deals.

Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument above?

a)When a consumer buys a product in a cardboard box or can, there is no way to know what there is inside.

b)The concept of equality is contradicted by the reality that the consumer is not equal in power to the supplier

c)The health and well-being of consumers are protected by a variety of statutes that have been in effect for decades.

d)Equality before the law is an essential part of the American way of life and should not be restricted.

e)Society should recognize the right of consumers not to be subjected to unfair and deceptive advertising practices.

my concern: i feel the answer to this CR must be C. after all C is undermining the conclusion by stating that "consumers" are NOT perennially at a disadvantage;however, the OA to this question D
i fail to understand that where in the passage is "American way of life" mentioned?

aditya8062 wrote:In the modern era, society should accept the premise that equality before the law is not appropriate to the marketplace, where modern methods of marketing, packaging, and financing have reduced the ordinary consumer to a subordinate position. To protect the consumer from the hardship and oppression that could result from this inferior position, the law should limit the freedom of action of the enterprises with which the consumer deals.

Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument above?

a)When a consumer buys a product in a cardboard box or can, there is no way to know what there is inside.

b)The concept of equality is contradicted by the reality that the consumer is not equal in power to the supplier

c)The health and well-being of consumers are protected by a variety of statutes that have been in effect for decades.

d)Equality before the law is an essential part of the American way of life and should not be restricted.

e)Society should recognize the right of consumers not to be subjected to unfair and deceptive advertising practices.

my concern: i feel the answer to this CR must be C. after all C is undermining the conclusion by stating that "consumers" are NOT perennially at a disadvantage;however, the OA to this question D
i fail to understand that where in the passage is "American way of life" mentioned?

Premise: In the marketplace, the consumer is reduced to a subordinate position.
Conclusion: The law should limit the freedom of action of enterprises with which the consumer deals.
To weaken the conclusion, the correct answer must show that the subordinate position of consumers does NOT justify limiting the freedom of corporations.

D: Equality before the law...should not be restricted.
This statement is all-encompassing.
It states that equality before the law should not be restricted -- UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
If equality before the law should not be restricted, then the argument cannot use the subordinate position of consumers to justify imposing legal limits on the freedom of corporations.

The correct answer is D.

i fail to understand that where in the passage is "American way of life" mentioned?

The reference to the American way of life seems superfluous, but it does not change the all-compassing nature of the OA (that equality before the law should not be restricted).

i feel the answer to this CR must be C.

C: The health and well-being of consumers are protected by a variety of statutes that have been in effect for decades.
This answer choice states that LAWS are in place to protect CONSUMERS, potentially STRENGTHENING the conclusion that the law should limit the freedom of action of enterprises with which the consumer deals.
Eliminate C.

after all C is undermining the conclusion by stating that "consumers" are NOT perennially at a disadvantage

The subordinate position of consumers is a PREMISE.
A premise is a FACT: it cannot be contradicted.
Eliminate any answer choice that tries to contradict a premise.

The idea is that we shouldn't try to undermine the premise. Consumers are subordinate, no matter how many laws are there (answer C).