Logic Breakdown

Passage Summary: Being happy isn't about feeling good; it's about liking who you are and what you do. Because of this, happy people usually live morally good lives.

Conclusion: A happy life usually results in a morally virtuous life.

Reasoning: Happiness is defined as approving of one's own character and projects rather than just experiencing pleasurable feelings.

Analysis: The author assumes a connection between self-approval and actual moral virtue. Just because I approve of my own character doesn't mean my character is actually virtuous by objective standards. Look for an answer that bridges this gap by suggesting that people who approve of their own character generally have characters that are actually virtuous. Without this link, the argument's definition of happiness doesn't necessarily lead to the 'good life' described.

Passage Stimulus

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21.

Which one of the following is an assumption required by the argument?

Correct Answer
B
B links the defined basis of happiness (self-approval) to the defined content of the good life (moral virtue). Negation test: if people who approve of their character and projects do not tend to be morally virtuous, then happiness (so defined) would not tend to be the good life; the argument fails. So B is required.
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