Role in ArgumentDiff: Hard
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: A psychologist argues that because humans need personal interaction and you can't fulfill a 'thank you' obligation anonymously, the social benefit of gratitude requires the benefactor to know the source.
Conclusion: The social function of reinforcing beneficial behavior only works if the person being thanked knows who is expressing the gratitude.
Reasoning: The obligation to express gratitude cannot be fulfilled anonymously, and human psychology is primarily driven by personal interaction.
Analysis: This is a 'Role in Argument' question, so we need to see how the first sentence relates to the rest of the text. The first sentence is a claim that is not supported by any other statement in the passage; rather, it is used as a foundational premise to support the final 'Thus' statement. It establishes a necessary condition for fulfilling a specific obligation. Because it provides support for the conclusion without receiving support itself, it functions as a primary premise.
Conclusion: The social function of reinforcing beneficial behavior only works if the person being thanked knows who is expressing the gratitude.
Reasoning: The obligation to express gratitude cannot be fulfilled anonymously, and human psychology is primarily driven by personal interaction.
Analysis: This is a 'Role in Argument' question, so we need to see how the first sentence relates to the rest of the text. The first sentence is a claim that is not supported by any other statement in the passage; rather, it is used as a foundational premise to support the final 'Thus' statement. It establishes a necessary condition for fulfilling a specific obligation. Because it provides support for the conclusion without receiving support itself, it functions as a primary premise.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage16.Which one of the following most accurately describes the role played in the psychologist's argument by the claim that the obligation to express gratitude cannot be fulfilled anonymously?
Correct Answer
E
E is correct: the statement “the obligation to express gratitude cannot be fulfilled anonymously” is the main conclusion the rest of the argument is intended to support.
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