Summarize Argument: Counter-Position
Other people argue that we should ban cloning because the clones would exist to indulge the vanity of the people from whom the clones are made. The author’s implicit conclusion is that this argument’s reasoning is flawed. The author supports this conclusion by showing that in other contexts that do not involve bans, people use others for their own selfish interests. Thus, the author implies, a ban on cloning can’t be justified merely because the clones are used by the original people.
Identify Argument Part
The referenced text is support for the implicit conclusion that the other people’s argument for banning cloning is not persuasive.
A
It supports the ethicist’s view that society does not value individuality as much as many opponents of cloning think it does.
This misdescribes the author’s view. She never suggests that society doesn’t value individuality as much as opponents of cloning think it does.
B
It supports the conclusion that forcing children to pursue academic success is not objectionable.
This misdescribes the author’s conclusion. The conclusion relates to the other people’s view that cloning should be banned. The conclusion does not concern forcing children to pursue academic success.
C
It is implied by the ethicist’s conviction that clones are not subpeople.
The referenced text is not an implication of the author’s belief. It’s support for that belief.
D
It supports the ethicist’s view that vanity’s being the motivation for cloning is not enough of a reason to ban cloning.
This accurately describes the support role played by the referenced text.
E
It describes a legal position that the ethicist argues should be changed.
The author doesn’t suggests the referenced line needs to be changed. The author accepts the truth of this line and uses it undermine the other people’s view concerning a ban on cloning.
Summary
The stimulus says that stress often causes high blood pressure. Also, some people can calm their minds to lower their stress and thus reduce their blood pressure. Finally, most people can calm their minds by exercising.
In Lawgic, this looks like:
P1. calm mind -s→ lower stress -s→ lower BP
P2. exercise -m→ calm mind
In Lawgic, this looks like:
P1. calm mind -s→ lower stress -s→ lower BP
P2. exercise -m→ calm mind
Strongly Supported Conclusions
The stimulus supports the conclusion that some people can probably use exercise to lower their blood pressure.
In Lawgic, this means combining the premises listed above to look like:
P1. exercise -m→ calm mind -s→ lower stress -s→ lower BP
In Lawgic, this means combining the premises listed above to look like:
P1. exercise -m→ calm mind -s→ lower stress -s→ lower BP
A
For at least some people, having lower blood pressure has at least some tendency to cause their stress levels to be reduced.
This is not supported. The stimulus tells us about a causal link where high stress can cause high blood pressure, not the other way around.
B
Most people with high blood pressure can lower their blood pressure by reducing their stress levels.
This is not supported. Reading closely, the stimulus only says that stress is a “common” cause of high blood pressure. “Common” doesn’t equate to “most.” Instead, it would be better translated as “some,” which does not support this inference.
C
Most people who do not exercise regularly have higher stress levels as a result.
This is not supported. Firstly, most people can calm their minds by exercising, but a calm mind only sometimes reduces stress—maybe less than half the time, we don’t know. Secondly, there may be other ways to calm the mind and reduce stress without exercising.
D
Engaging in exercise can directly lower one’s blood pressure.
This is not supported. The stimulus describes a very indirect mechanism for exercise to sometimes lower blood pressure: we need the intermediate steps of calm mind and stress reduction first. That’s definitely not a direct link between exercise and lower blood pressure.
E
For at least some people, engaging in exercise can cause their stress levels to be reduced.
This is strongly supported. Based on the stimulus, exercise can calm the mind, which can reduce stress, which can reduce blood pressure. None of these steps is guaranteed, but it seems very likely that at least some people make it all the way to lower blood pressure.