Logic Breakdown

Passage Summary: The author argues that a new patent rule will hurt science because it forces researchers to wait until they've filed paperwork before they can tell anyone about their findings.

Conclusion: The proposed changes to the patent system will definitely discourage or slow down scientific research.

Reasoning: The new rules would require filing for a patent before publishing results, which would delay the sharing of new discoveries compared to the current one-year grace period.

Analysis: This argument contains a significant logical gap between 'delayed communication' and a 'chilling effect on research.' While the author shows that the new system is slower, they haven't proven that this delay necessarily results in a broader discouragement of scientific work. To bridge this gap, look for an answer that explicitly links the delay of information sharing to the negative impact on research. We need a premise that guarantees that if communication is slowed, the research environment is chilled.

Passage Stimulus

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13.

The conclusion drawn above follows logically if which one of the following is assumed?

Correct Answer
C
C asserts that delays in the communication of discoveries have a chilling effect on scientific research. Combined with the premise that the proposed change would cause such delays, the conclusion that the change will chill research follows logically.
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