Critical Reasoning

Philosopher: The rational pursuit of happiness is quite different from always doing what one most strongly desires to do. This is because the rational pursuit of happiness must include consideration of long-term consequences, whereas our desires are usually focused on the short term. Moreover, desires are sometimes compulsions, and while ordinary desires result in at least momentary happiness when their goals are attained, compulsions strongly drive a person to pursue goals that offer no happiness even when reached.

If all of the philosopher's statements are true, each of the following could be true EXCEPT:

(A) the majority of people do not have compulsions

(B) Attaining the goal of any desire results in momentary happiness

(C) Most people do not pursue happiness rationally

(D) Most people want more than their own personal happiness

(E) All actions have long-term consequences

Option B is correct

desires are sometimes compulsions ...compulsions strongly drive a person to pursue goals that offer no happiness even when reached.

why not E? isn't it E too extreme to be true? what is OA?

Even I think it is E. What is OA?

Sapana wrote:why not E? isn't it E too extreme to be true? what is OA?

I think you have not fully understood the problem statement itself. The question stem says "could be true EXCEPT" and not "must be true or inerred or concluded EXCEPT"

This means we should look for an answer choice, which must not be true. All other options would have to be possibilities, which may or may not be true.

There is clear evidence that B "must not be true", however there is no clear certainty of E being so. Also understand that desires are not actions, in fact in most of the cases what follow desires are actions

Hope this helps.

OA is B. Iceman is all over this one.

This is an LSAT question. I suspected that it might be sense it seemed very familiar. The reason that choice B "Attaining the goal of any desire results in momentary happiness" -- Cannot be true is that some desires are based on compulsions even when no happiness results. So therefore not all goals of desires bring happiness even when they are reached.

The Iceman wrote:

Sapana wrote:why not E? isn't it E too extreme to be true? what is OA?

I think you have not fully understood the problem statement itself. The question stem says "could be true EXCEPT" and not "must be true or inerred or concluded EXCEPT"

This means we should look for an answer choice, which must not be true. All other options would have to be possibilities, which may or may not be true.

There is clear evidence that B "must not be true", however there is no clear certainty of E being so. Also understand that desires are not actions, in fact in most of the cases what follow desires are actions

Hope this helps.

Thank you for your explanation. I missed the term COULD while reading through the passage and you perfectly caught me!