Necessary AssumptionDiff: Medium
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: Private companies are offering much higher salaries than the government. Because these scientists could easily switch jobs, they probably will leave unless they are motivated by duty rather than money.
Conclusion: The government is at risk of losing its top research scientists to the private sector unless those scientists value public service more than their own personal interests.
Reasoning: Private companies pay 50 percent more than the government, and these highly skilled scientists are fully capable of securing those private-sector positions.
Analysis: The argument relies on a specific 'Gap' between the concept of 'self-interest' and 'higher salary.' It assumes that for these scientists, acting in their own interest is synonymous with seeking a higher paycheck. If 'self-interest' for a scientist actually meant having better job security or more academic freedom—things the government might provide—the threat of them leaving for money alone would vanish. We are looking for an answer that the argument *needs* to be true: specifically, that a higher salary is a primary motivator for these individuals' self-interest.
Conclusion: The government is at risk of losing its top research scientists to the private sector unless those scientists value public service more than their own personal interests.
Reasoning: Private companies pay 50 percent more than the government, and these highly skilled scientists are fully capable of securing those private-sector positions.
Analysis: The argument relies on a specific 'Gap' between the concept of 'self-interest' and 'higher salary.' It assumes that for these scientists, acting in their own interest is synonymous with seeking a higher paycheck. If 'self-interest' for a scientist actually meant having better job security or more academic freedom—things the government might provide—the threat of them leaving for money alone would vanish. We are looking for an answer that the argument *needs* to be true: specifically, that a higher salary is a primary motivator for these individuals' self-interest.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage16.Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?
Correct Answer
D
D is required. If the government provided unusually good conditions/benefits that more than compensate for lower salaries, then even self-interested scientists might not leave, undercutting the prediction. Negation test: If such benefits do more than compensate, the conclusion that government is likely to lose its most skilled researchers no longer follows.
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