Principle ApplicationDiff: Medium
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: A lawyer explains the specific rules for when it is okay to look at someone's computer files without asking: it must be a business computer, and it is especially okay if you think there is evidence of a crime on it.
Reasoning: Accessing computer files without permission is only justified if the computer is for business use; it is definitely justified if it is a business computer and there is reason to believe it contains legal evidence.
Analysis: This stimulus sets up a strict conditional requirement: business use is a necessary condition for justification. If a computer is used for personal hobbies or home life, the lawyer's principles would immediately tell us that unauthorized access is not justified. When applying these principles, look for a scenario that either meets both the business and evidence criteria to prove justification, or one that fails the business criterion to prove a lack of justification. It is a classic 'if and only if' structure that rewards careful attention to the necessary versus sufficient conditions.
Reasoning: Accessing computer files without permission is only justified if the computer is for business use; it is definitely justified if it is a business computer and there is reason to believe it contains legal evidence.
Analysis: This stimulus sets up a strict conditional requirement: business use is a necessary condition for justification. If a computer is used for personal hobbies or home life, the lawyer's principles would immediately tell us that unauthorized access is not justified. When applying these principles, look for a scenario that either meets both the business and evidence criteria to prove justification, or one that fails the business criterion to prove a lack of justification. It is a classic 'if and only if' structure that rewards careful attention to the necessary versus sufficient conditions.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage18.The principles stated by the lawyer most strongly support which one of the following judgments?
Correct Answer
B
The consulting firm’s central computer is used in business (B), and the investigators had reasonable grounds to believe it contained evidence usable in a legal proceeding against its owner (R). Under B ∧ R -> J, their unauthorized access was justified even though no evidence was ultimately found.
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