Distressed by his own personal tragedies, the Roman philosop

[BTGmoderatorDC]

Distressed by his own personal tragedies, the Roman philosopher Cicero once asked himself whether a wise person should try to achieve the Stoic ideal of complete emotionlessness. Cicero reasoned that, however desirable the goal may be, a wise person could never attain it, since emotions are not simply irrational urges. They are, rather, a product of one's estimate of the goodness and badness of the events, people, and actions one witnesses.

Which of the following is an assumption required by Cicero's reasoning?

A. Wise people inevitably evaluate at least some of the things they observe.
B. Irrationality makes evaluation of what one observes impossible.
C. Wisdom precludes attempting to attain what one cannot.
D. If evaluations are based only on reason, then they are inaccurate.
E. A wise person will not evaluate what cannot be directly observed.


OA A

Source: Official Guide

[deloitte247]

Premise: A roman philosopher Cicero once asked himself whether a wise person should try to achieve the stoic ideal of complete emotionlessness.

Conclusion: Cicero concluded that emotions are a product of one's estimate of the goodness and badness of the events, people and actions one witnesses.

Option A - Correct:
This claim conforms with Cicero's conclusion that emotions are not simply irrational urges; they are a product of one's estimate of goodness and badness of the events, people and actions one witnesses.

Option B - Incorrect:
This is not true based on Cicero's statement that emotions are not simply irrational urges. Hence, this is not an assumption required by Cicero's reasoning.

Option C - Incorrect:
This is incorrect because Cicero reasoned that however desirable the goal of achieving the stoic ideal of complete emotionlessness, a wise person could never attain it.

Option D - Incorrect:
This option is wrong as there is no concrete basis to back up the claim that if evaluations are based on reason, then they are inaccurate.

Option E - Incorrect:
This is literally off point as it opposes Cicero's reasoning. Note the word "directly".