Critical Reasoning

I found this CR in another forum. Could you please explain it?

Advancement in technology occurs primarily in areas in which customers have expressed an interest. Only certain businesses are currently demanding advancements in telecommunications technology. Accordingly, future advances in telecommunications technology will yield products useful almost exclusively to those certain businesses.

Which of the following is an assumption made in the argument above?


The demand for standard telecommunications technology is affected by increased demand for advancements in such technology.

Advancements in technology are mainly brought about by desire from a particular group of customers.

Improved telecommunications technology will not be generally applicable to the needs of all customers.

The number of advancements made in telecommunications technology increases when different kinds of businesses demand it.

Most customers do not keep up with new developments in telecommunications techno

i think the answer is B, OA..?

A - at first look A looks like the first statement but if you look closely, its not.

B- correct becuase if the assumption fails (negation test) the argument fails.

C- may be true, but argument can still survive without this being true

D, E - out of scope

jcmsolis wrote:I found this CR in another forum. Could you please explain it?

Advancement in technology occurs primarily in areas in which customers have expressed an interest. Only certain businesses are currently demanding advancements in telecommunications technology. Accordingly, future advances in telecommunications technology will yield products useful almost exclusively to those certain businesses.

Which of the following is an assumption made in the argument above?


(a) The demand for standard telecommunications technology is affected by increased demand for advancements in such technology.

(b) Advancements in technology are mainly brought about by desire from a particular group of customers.

(c) Improved telecommunications technology will not be generally applicable to the needs of all customers.

(d) The number of advancements made in telecommunications technology increases when different kinds of businesses demand it.

(e) Most customers do not keep up with new developments in telecommunications techno

The correct answer is (c).

An assumption question asks us to identify something that MUST be true in order for the argument to hold together.

To summarize the argument:

Customer requests drive tech advances. Only some businesses are requesting tech advances in telecomm. Therefore, only those businesses will reap the benefits of the advances in telecomm.

When predicting assumptions, we want to look for gaps between the evidence and conclusion. In this case, the author leaps between who REQUESTS advances and who BENEFITS from advances. Therefore, the author has to be assuming that businesses who don't make the requests won't gain the benefits.

(c) is a great match for our prediction.

Let's use Kaplan's denial test and look at the reverse of (c) to see what impact it has:

(bizarro c) Improved telecommunications technology WILL BE generally applicable to the needs of all customers.

Well, if the new tech will be generally applicable, then all customers will benefit from the advances. The denial of (c) directly contradicts the author's conclusion, therefore (c) is a vital assumption.

Let's look at (b):

(b) Advancements in technology are mainly brought about by desire from a particular group of customers.

(b) tells us that it's usually a particular group of customers who induce advancements. Do we care if it's usually a particular group or if it's usually the entire public? Definitely not.

Let's use Kaplan's denial test on (b):

(bizarro b) Advancements in technology are NOT mainly brought about by desire from a particular group of customers.

or

(bizarro b) Advancements in tech are usually brought about by general request from all customers.

Does that help us decide if telecomm tech will be universally or just particularly beneficial? Nope, it's outside the scope - and if the denial is outside the scope, then so is the original answer.

Thanks Stuart, i am starting to understand CR questions.. thanks for the explanation!

Thanks Stuart,

That was a really nice explanation.
I am sure other members will find it useful as well.


[quote="Stuart Kovinsky"][quote="jcmsolis"]I found this CR in another forum. Could you please explain it?

Advancement in technology occurs primarily in areas in which customers have expressed an interest. Only certain businesses are currently demanding advancements in telecommunications technology. Accordingly, future advances in telecommunications technology will yield products useful almost exclusively to those certain businesses.

Which of the following is an assumption made in the argument above?


(a) The demand for standard telecommunications technology is affected by increased demand for advancements in such technology.

(b) Advancements in technology are mainly brought about by desire from a particular group of customers.

(c) Improved telecommunications technology will not be generally applicable to the needs of all customers.

(d) The number of advancements made in telecommunications technology increases when different kinds of businesses demand it.

(e) Most customers do not keep up with new developments in telecommunications techno[/quote]

The correct answer is (c).

An assumption question asks us to identify something that MUST be true in order for the argument to hold together.

To summarize the argument:

Customer requests drive tech advances. Only some businesses are requesting tech advances in telecomm. Therefore, only those businesses will reap the benefits of the advances in telecomm.

When predicting assumptions, we want to look for gaps between the evidence and conclusion. In this case, the author leaps between who REQUESTS advances and who BENEFITS from advances. Therefore, the author has to be assuming that businesses who don't make the requests won't gain the benefits.

(c) is a great match for our prediction.

Let's use Kaplan's denial test and look at the reverse of (c) to see what impact it has:

(bizarro c) Improved telecommunications technology WILL BE generally applicable to the needs of all customers.

Well, if the new tech will be generally applicable, then all customers will benefit from the advances. The denial of (c) directly contradicts the author's conclusion, therefore (c) is a vital assumption.

Let's look at (b):

(b) Advancements in technology are mainly brought about by desire from a particular group of customers.

(b) tells us that it's usually a particular group of customers who induce advancements. Do we care if it's usually a particular group or if it's usually the entire public? Definitely not.

Let's use Kaplan's denial test on (b):

(bizarro b) Advancements in technology are NOT mainly brought about by desire from a particular group of customers.

or

(bizarro b) Advancements in tech are usually brought about by general request from all customers.

Does that help us decide if telecomm tech will be universally or just particularly beneficial? Nope, it's outside the scope - and if the denial is outside the scope, then so is the original answer.[/quote]

In my opinion C is the most logical one.