Economist: Support No economic system that is centrally planned can efficiently allocate resources, and Support efficient allocation of resources is a necessary condition for achieving a national debt of less than 5 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). ββ βββββββ ββββ βββ ββββββ ββββ β βββββββββ βββββββ βββββββ βββ β ββββββββ ββββ ββββ ββ ββ βββββ β βββββββ ββ ββββ
The language in the stimulus and answer choices is super thorny throughout, but at its core this question is a test of the contrapostive argument form.*
English
P1: Central systems canβt be efficient.
P2: But you need to be efficient to have [small debt].
________
C: Central systems donβt have [small debt].Logic
P1: Central β /Efficient
P2: Small Debt β Efficient
(P2 Contra: /Efficient β /Small Debt)
________
C: Central β /Small Debt
A lot of the time, just recognizing this as a valid conditional chain of some kind will suffice to isolate the correct answer. To my mind, the ideal approach to this question would be to roll into the answers with that vague notion in mind, eliminate (A) and (C) at least, then loop back around for a more disciplined breakdown of the stimulus (for which Iβd highly recommend jotting down some notes).
*Technically, the stimulus uses the contrapositive argument form in the context of a conditional chain. The main point, though, is that it does contrapositive stuff.
Analysis by MichaelWright
The pattern of reasoning exhibited ββ βββ βββββββββββ ββββββββ ββ ββββ βββββββ ββ ββββ βββββββββ ββ βββββ βββ ββ βββ ββββββββββ
Not all mammals βββ βββββββ ββββββ βββββββ ββββ βββ βββββββ βββ ββββ ββββ ββββββ
All of the βββββ βββββββββ βββ ββββ ββ βββββ βββ βββββββββ ββββββββ βββββββ ββββ ββββββββ βββββ ββββ βββββ βββββ ββ β βββββ βββββββββββββ ββ ββββββββββββ βββ βββββ βββ ββ ββββ ββββββ ββ βββ βββββ ββββββββββ
All of the βββββββββ βββ βββββββββββ βββ ββββ ββββββββββ βββββ βββ ββββββ β βββββ ββββββ ββ βββββββ ββββ βββ ββββββ ββββ βββββ ββββββ β βββββ βββββ ββ ββββββββ ββ ββ ββ βββββββββ
All rock stars βββ βββ ββββββ ββββ βββββ βββ ββββββ ββββββββββ βββ βββ ββββ βββββ ββββ βββββ βββ ββββββ βββββββββ βββββββ βββββββ βββββββ ββββ βββ βββββ βββββ βββββββ ββββββββββ ββββ βββββββ ββββ βββββββββ βββββ βββββββ βββββββββ ββ β βββββββββ βββββββββ ββ βββββ β ββββββ ββββ βββββ
Every mutual fund βββββββ βββββ βββββββ βββ ββββββ ββ ββββββ ββββββββββββ βββ ββ βββ βββ ββββββ ββ ββββββ βββββββββββ ββ βββββββ ββ βββββ ββββββ ββββ ββββββββ βββ ββββ ββββββββ ββββ ββ ββββββ ββββ βββββββ ββ βββββββ ββ ββββββββ βββ ββββββ ββ ββββββ ββββββββββββ