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#23207
Complete Question Explanation

Parallel Reasoning. The correct answer choice is (E)

The stimulus of this problem can be paraphrased into a very simple reasoning:

1. Migrant workers are not paid the same as full time workers because they are not considered full time

2. But migrant workers work just as long as full time workers

Therefore, law should require migrant workers to be paid the same as full time workers

Answer choice (A): This conclusion does not parallel that of the stimulus. The stimulus' conclusion is that "A should be treated the same as B since the two are the same in all relevant aspects". The conclusion of this answer choice does not parallel that correctly.

Answer choice (B): This conclusion does not match that of the stimulus, which is that "A should be treated the same as B since the two are the same in all relevant aspects". The conclusion of this answer choice states that rural areas should adopt building codes more like those large cities have, which is a different conclusion.

Answer choice (C): This answer does not give any reason as to why there must be a uniform international policy regarding gun sales, whereas the stimulus suggests that migrant workers should be paid the same as full time works because they work just as much. Moreover, the conclusion of this answer choice only suggests that countries should cooperate in developing a uniform international policy; meanwhile, if it is to parallel the stimulus, it should state that all countries should be treated the same way. Thus it does not properly parallel the stimulus.

Answer choice (D): This answer choice also does not parallel the argument of the stimulus, which is that two parties should be treated the same way. Meanwhile, this answer choice merely argues that liquor laws should be formulated by club and restaurant owners instead of politicians, which is different from the reasoning and conclusion of the stimulus.

Answer choice (E): This is the correct answer choice. Each part of this answer choice parallels the stimulus properly. This argument states that:

1. Safety standards do not apply to food additives as they do to drugs because food additicties are not considered drugs

2. But food additives are just as dangerous as drugs

Therefore. food additives should be subject to safety standards as stringent as those covering drugs

It is the correct answer because like the stimulus, it argues that the two should be treated the same way since they are the same in the relevant aspects.
 lawschoolforme
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#12034
Hi,

I had trouble figuring out the method of reasoning used in both the stimulus and answer choice E.

In abstract terms, can it be described as: "because one thing is similar to another thing, it should be treated like another thing"?

-lawschoolforme
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 Dave Killoran
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#12037
Hi Lawschoolforme,

Yes, you've got the right idea. I'd probably amend that abstraction just a bit, to, "because one thing is similar to another thing in an important respect, it should be treated like another thing."

Good work there!
 lawschoolforme
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#12114
Cool beans. Thanks!
 Toby
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#36972
Hello!

I approached the stimulus and answer choices in a slightly different way, and I would like some feedback on my approach. While I was reading the stimulus, I noticed that sentence 2 is a counter-premise. As I was reading through the answer choices, the only one that also contained a CP was answer E. Is this strategy one that I could use on other parallel reasoning questions, or did I just get lucky on this one question?

Thanks for the help!
 Alexandra Ruby
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#37458
Hi Toby,

Yes you are correct!

Typically, although the exact order of premises, counter-premises and conclusions do not need to be exact, the correct answer choice in a parallel reasoning question should contain the same general components.

This being said, however, you should always try to match the abstraction of the argument and logical force of the conclusion in the stimulus and answer choices as well.

Good job!
 andriana.caban
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#67506
Administrator wrote:
Answer choice (D): This answer choice also does not parallel the argument of the stimulus, which is that two parties should be treated the same way. Meanwhile, this answer choice merely argues that liquor laws should be formulated by club and restaurant owners instead of politicians, which is different from the reasoning and conclusion of the stimulus.
Would it be logical to eliminate (D) on the basis that it excludes the word therefore and fails to parallel the general structure of the authors argument?
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 KelseyWoods
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#71577
Hi Andriana!

No, we can't simply eliminate answer choice (D) because it is missing the term "therefore." "Therefore" is just a conclusion indicator and its presence, or lack thereof, does not determine the structure of an argument. It just helps us determine where the conclusion is.

Every argument has a conclusion. Some arguments use the term "therefore," some use terms like "so" and "as a result," some don't use any conclusion indicator language and you have to rely on the relationship between the argument parts to determine which statement is supported by the other statements and is therefore the conclusion. Even though answer choice (D) does not have the term "therefore," it has a conclusion: "liquor laws should be formulated not by politicians but by club and restaurant owners." We know that it is the conclusion because it is supported by the other 2 statements.

Note that answer choice (E) could also have been rephrased without a "therefore" and would still be parallel to the argument in our stimulus: "But food additives should also be subject to safety regulations as stringent as those covering drugs because food additives are just as dangerous as drugs." Changing the wording in this way does not change how the premises support the conclusion and so does not change the structure of the argument.

Hope this helps!

Best,
Kelsey

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