Strengthening questions - how often do they actually add premises?

monika_p

Hi guys! General question about strengthening questions. I know from reviewing the core curriculum that, in theory, you can strengthen an argument one of two ways:
1.) adding premises that support the conclusion
2.) increasing the relevance of an existing premise to a conclusion

However, the more strengthening explanations I watch, the more I notice the right answer never really adds an independent extra premise. It always relates back to an existing premise, and makes it more relevant. Also JY mentions in several videos that the AC's that seem to add extra premises are the trap answers.

So, are there examples of correct strengthening AC's that do add an extra premise that in no way has to do with any of the premises already in the stimulus? Because if so, that would be quite useful in identifying trap answer choices. Thank you!

dml277

If my memory serves me correctly, I believe I have seen at least one question where the correct answer choice does strengthen the premise. It still had to do with the premise. I actually think it has to be related to the premise in order to strengthen. It's just that often times we're given answer choices to strengthen the link between premise and conclusion because answer choices strengthening the premise would be too obvious.

On the other hand, answer choices that have nothing to do with the premise and the link between premise and conclusion shouldn't be a strengthening answer choice. This means strengthening the conclusion itself is not enough. I hope this helps!