Critical Reasoning

Philosopher: No person who adheres to the doctrines of Michel Foucault can fully accept the post-structuralist theories of Jacques Lacan, and full acceptance of Lacan's theories is necessary for understanding deconstructionist philosophy. It follows that any person who does not understand deconstructionist philosophy adheres to the doctrines of Foucault.

The pattern of logic displayed in the philosopher's argument above is most similar to that displayed by which of the following arguments?

A. Every baseball player whose natural position is right fielder lacks exceptional running speed, and exceptional running speed is required to become a great base-stealer. It follows that the natural position of any baseball player who is not a great base-stealer is right fielder.

B. Any existentialist that does not follow the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche must believe in the Christian existentialism espoused by Soren Kierkegaard, and a belief in Kierkegaardian existentialism is necessary for an existentialist to reconcile his life with his work as a philosopher. It follows that any existentialist philosopher who cannot reconcile his life with his work does not follow the philosophy of Nietzsche.

C. No performer who sings off-key or off-tempo will be selected for a leading role in a Broadway musical, and selection for a leading role in a Broadway musical invariably leads to stardom. It follows that any performer who has achieved stardom does not sing off-key or off-tempo.

D. Not all employees of the U.S. Postal Service work outside, and working outside is essential for a person to develop a sunny disposition. It follows that any person who has developed a sunny disposition is not an employee of the U.S. Postal Service.

E. No poet who excels in writing lyric poetry also writes extraordinary blank verse, and writing extraordinary blank verse is necessary for a poet to be named poet laureate. It follows that any poet who excels in writing lyric poetry will not be named poet laureate.


OA A

Source: Princeton Review