Critical Reasoning

Art historian: Great works of art have often elicited
outrage when first presented; in Europe,
Stravinsky's Rite of Spring prompted a riot, and
Manet's Déjeuner sur l'herbe elicited outrage
and derision. So, since it is clear that art is often
shocking, we should not hesitate to use public
funds to support works of art that many people
find shocking.


Which one of the following is an assumption that the
art historian's argument requires in order for its
conclusion to be properly drawn?



(A) Most art is shocking.

(B) Stravinsky and Manet received public funding
for their art.

(C) Art used to be more shocking than it currently
is.

(D) Public funds should support art.

(E) Anything that shocks is art.

Instructors Please help!

vishalwin wrote:Art historian: Great works of art have often elicited
outrage when first presented; in Europe,
Stravinsky's Rite of Spring prompted a riot, and
Manet's Déjeuner sur l'herbe elicited outrage
and derision. So, since it is clear that art is often
shocking, we should not hesitate to use public
funds to support works of art that many people
find shocking.

Which one of the following is an assumption that the
art historian's argument requires in order for its
conclusion to be properly drawn?

(A) Most art is shocking.

(B) Stravinsky and Manet received public funding
for their art.

(C) Art used to be more shocking than it currently
is.

(D) Public funds should support art.

(E) Anything that shocks is art.

Premise: Art is often shocking.
Conclusion: Public funds should be used to support art that many people find shocking.

Apply the NEGATION TEST.
When the correct answer choice is negated, the conclusion will be invalidated.

Answer choices, negated:
Most art is not shocking.
Stravinsky and Manet did not receive public funding for their art.
Art did not used to be more shocking than it currently is.
Public funds should not support art.
Not everything that shocks is art.

Only the negation in red invalidates the conclusion that public funds should be used to support art that many people find shocking.
Thus, D is the correct assumption: WHAT MUST BE TRUE for the conclusion to be valid.

The correct answer is D.