PT55.S3.Q19: "Primary Goal" ?

tonypepperoni

The explanation video rejects option (D) simply because it uses the term "primary goal," then moves on without addressing this answer choice further.

However, the stimulus starts off by framing the question around the primary goal of an ideal bureaucracy. Surely then, the primary goal of the the ideal democracy would be important to understand and find an assumption to support?

I would appreciate any further guidance on why (D) is wrong. Thanks!

AkanshaKhurana

Although it is true that is how the stimulus starts off, it is not the main conclusion of the argument and after further analysis, it appears that "primary, constant..." is extra detail that has no bearing on the argument. Let's identify the main conclusion.

C: An ideal bureaucracy (IB) will have an ever expanding set of regulations.

P: 1) Primary goal of IB is to define and classify problems + set out regulations
2) IB provides appeal procedures for all complaints
premise 3 most directly supports the conclusion:
3) if complaint reveals unanticipated problem --> regulations are expanded to cover the new issue

After reading the third premise and then the conclusion, you should automatically wonder why the regulations would be ever expanding (this is sometimes how I identify gaps in arguments), when based off of the premise set alone, it could also be true that the IB receives a finite number of claims that are all added to the regulations. In order for the regulations to be ever expanding, they must receive an unlimited amount of complaints. This is what answer choice C says.

AC D is a biconditional statement and thus can be written like this
IB can reach primary goal --> regulations are always expanding
Regulations are always expanding --> IB can reach primary goal
Neither of these statements are necessary for the P-C relationship to work. Even if this was added to the argument it still wouldn't touch upon why the regulations continuously expand, which is the gaping hole in the argument.

I hope this helps! Please feel free to ask for clarification.

tonypepperoni

great, thanks!