Logic Breakdown

Passage Summary: People need love to be happy, but they only need business-like efficiency to have enough food and money.

Conclusion: Human beings can have their economic needs satisfied in a society that does not provide the conditions necessary for happiness.

Reasoning: Happiness requires a society based on love and friendship, but economic needs can be met in a society motivated solely by utility.

Analysis: This argument sets up a distinction between the requirements for 'happiness' and the requirements for 'economic satisfaction.' Since the premises show that economic needs can be met in a society that lacks the very thing required for happiness (love and friendship), the logical conclusion is that a society could be wealthy but miserable. We are looking for a completion that bridges this gap, likely stating that fulfilling economic needs does not guarantee a happy life. It is a classic 'A requires B, but C does not require B' structure.

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14.

Which one of the following most logically completes the argument?

Correct Answer
D
D correctly captures the logical upshot: humans can satisfy basic economic needs without obtaining happiness, since those needs can be met in societies that lack the necessary condition for happiness.
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