Critical Reasoning

user123321 wrote:Hi

Need your help regarding this one. I chose C but OA states otherwise.

A university should not be entitled to patent the inventions of its faculty members. Universities, as guarantors of intellectual freedom, should encourage the free flow of ideas and the general dissemination of knowledge. Yet a university that retains the right to patent the inventions of its faculty members has a motive to suppress information about a potentially valuable discovery until the patent for it has been secured. Clearly, suppressing information concerning such discoveries is incompatible with the university's obligation to promote the free flow of ideas.

Which one of the following is an assumption that the argument makes?

(A) Universities are the only institutions that have an obligation to guarantee intellectual freedom.

(B) Most inventions by university faculty members would be profitable if patented.

(C) Publication of reports on research is the only practical way to disseminate information concerning new discoveries.

(D) Universities that have a motive to suppress information concerning discoveries by their faculty members will occasionally act on that motive.

(E) If the inventions of a university faculty member are not patented by that university, then they will be patented by the faculty member instead.

Thanks,
user123321

user123321 wrote:Hi

Need your help regarding this one. I chose C but OA states otherwise.

A university should not be entitled to patent the inventions of its faculty members. Universities, as guarantors of intellectual freedom, should encourage the free flow of ideas and the general dissemination of knowledge. Yet a university that retains the right to patent the inventions of its faculty members has a motive to suppress information about a potentially valuable discovery until the patent for it has been secured. Clearly, suppressing information concerning such discoveries is incompatible with the university's obligation to promote the free flow of ideas.

Which one of the following is an assumption that the argument makes?

(A) Universities are the only institutions that have an obligation to guarantee intellectual freedom.

The article concentrates on Universities, but doesn't imply or state they're the *only* institutions that have such an obligation.

(B) Most inventions by university faculty members would be profitable if patented.

The article is concerned about information dissemination, not about profit.

(C) Publication of reports on research is the only practical way to disseminate information concerning new discoveries.

The article doesn't concern itself with the method of information dissemination, and certainly no assumption is made that there is only one practical method.

(D) Universities that have a motive to suppress information concerning discoveries by their faculty members will occasionally act on that motive.

If there was no assumption that motive might be acted upon, then there'd be no need to restrict Universities from patenting inventions. So clearly this assumption is being made!

(E) If the inventions of a university faculty member are not patented by that university, then they will be patented by the faculty member instead.

No such assumption is being conveyed.

Thanks,
user123321

ranjeet75 wrote:Good explanation chieftang.

But still not very clear. If we go by negation technique what happen?