Necessary AssumptionDiff: Easy
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: A scientist claims people aren't afraid of his profession simply because he's never met anyone who seemed scared of him.
Conclusion: The public is not actually afraid of scientists.
Reasoning: The scientist has worked in the field for decades and has never personally encountered anyone who exhibited fear of scientists.
Analysis: This argument relies on a massive assumption regarding the scientist's personal experience being representative of the entire public. For the conclusion to hold, the scientist must assume that if people *were* afraid, they would have shown it to him or that he would have met them in the first place. Look for a 'Necessary Assumption' that bridges the gap between 'I haven't seen it' and 'It doesn't exist.' The argument fails if the people who are afraid of scientists simply avoid meeting them altogether.
Conclusion: The public is not actually afraid of scientists.
Reasoning: The scientist has worked in the field for decades and has never personally encountered anyone who exhibited fear of scientists.
Analysis: This argument relies on a massive assumption regarding the scientist's personal experience being representative of the entire public. For the conclusion to hold, the scientist must assume that if people *were* afraid, they would have shown it to him or that he would have met them in the first place. Look for a 'Necessary Assumption' that bridges the gap between 'I haven't seen it' and 'It doesn't exist.' The argument fails if the people who are afraid of scientists simply avoid meeting them altogether.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage12.Which one of the following is an assumption required by the scientist's argument?
Correct Answer
D
The argument requires: if the public were afraid of scientists, a scientist would encounter at least one such person over several decades. Negation test: Suppose even if the public is afraid, a scientist could go decades without meeting anyone who is afraid. Then the scientist’s observation (“I’ve never met one”) no longer supports the conclusion that the public isn’t afraid. Therefore, D is necessary.
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