Sufficient Assumption questions

rogersalexandra7

So I fell for a sufficient assumption trap, I chose the answer that was basically a restated premise, so for the assumption questions, the answer that is basically a premise, is that always wrong? TYA!

Daniel.Sieradzki

Yeah, you are not alone. That is a common trap! We have all been there.

To answer your question, that is almost always a wrong answer. It helps to look at the nature of a sufficient assumption question. You are presented with an argument that is only missing one piece that keeps it from being a good argument.

For example:
Premise 1: Socrates is a man
Missing Premise 2: ?

---

Conclusion: Socrates is mortal.

This has the makings of a great deductive (premises true -> conclusion true) argument. You just need the missing piece, which is "All men are mortal." That is the sufficient assumption.

A tempting trap answer would be "Scientific tests have proven that Socrates is a man." While that is nice and all, it is really just restating Premise 1, which we are already told to accept as true. Thus, restating a premise does not help the argument and could never be a sufficient assumption.

rogersalexandra7

Got it! thank you again!!