Critical Reasoning

Intellectual property laws protect patent holders from infringements that would otherwise cut into their revenue streams. Because the cost to research and develop new products that can be patented can be astronomically high and companies want to ensure that these costs are defrayed and not sunk, most companies support patent laws that are as legally stringent and long-lasting as possible. However, strict patent laws allow companies with the most funds devoted to research and development to dominate industries and shut down innovative competition. As a result, less strict patent laws are often more conducive to true innovation; in the long run, this lack of innovation decreases industry-wide profits, even for the largest companies.
In the argument above, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?


"¢ (A) The first is an assumption, rejected by the argument, that is used to justify a certain strategy; the second is that strategy
"¢ (B) The first is a factor used to justify the adoption of a certain position; the second presents the intended outcome of that position
"¢ (C) The first is a factor used to support a position that the argument supports; the second is that position
"¢ (D) The first is a factor used to argue that a certain position may not have the consequences for which it is intended; the second is a justification for that position
"¢ (E) The first is a factor that is used to explain the adoption of a certain position; the second is that position.