Real estate agent: Upon selling a home, the sellers are legally entitled to remove any items that are not permanent fixtures. ββββββββ βββββ ββββββββββ ββββ βββββββββββ βββ βββ βββββββββ βββββββββ ββββββββ βββββ ββββ βββββββββββ ββββββ ββ βββ ββββ βββ ββββββ ββ ββββββ ββββ βββββ ββββββββββ ββ βββ ββββ βββββ ββ ββββββββ ββββ βββ βββββββββ βββββββ βββ ββββ ββ βββββββ βββ ββββββββββ βββ βββββββ βββββββ ββββββ ββ ββββββ ββββ ββββββ βββββββ βββ ββββ ββ ββ ββββββββ ββ ββββ βββββ βββ ββββ βββ ββββββββββ βββ βββ βββββββββ
According to the real estate agent, home sellers are morally obliged inform prospective buyers if they plan to keep their appliances, despite being legally entitled to do so. Why? Because otherwise, many buyers will probably assume that the appliances are included in the sale.
The real estate agent jumps from a premise about buyersβ assumptions to a conclusion about sellersβ moral obligations. So, the agent must be assuming a link between these two ideas.
We can justify the agentβs argumentation by filling in that assumption. To do so, we must find a principle stating that sellers are morally obligated to inform prospective buyers if they will be keeping appliances which some buyers would assume are included in the sale.
Which one of the following βββββββββββ ββ ββββββ ββββ βββββ ββ βββββββ βββ ββββ ββββββ βββββββ ββββββββββββββ
If a home's βββββββ ββββ ββ βββββββ βββ ββββββββββ ββββ βββββββββββ ββββββ ββ βββ ββββ βββββ ββββββ βββββ ββ ββββββββ ββββ βββ ββββββββ ββ βββ βββββ βββ βββββββ βββ βββββββ βββββββ ββ ββββββββ βββββββ ββββ βββββ ββββββββββ βββ βββ βββββββββ
This rule triggers: we know appliances are a type of belonging that prospective buyers might assume would be included in a sale. And it also bridges to the right conclusion, that sellers then have a moral obligation to inform prospective buyers of their intention.
A home's sellers βββ βββββββ βββββββ ββ ββββββ ββββ βββββββββββ ββββββ ββ βββ ββββ ββ βββ ββββββ ββββ βββ βββββ ββββββββββ βββ βββββββββ ββββββββ ββ βββ βββββ
The real estate agent concedes that large appliances are not permanent fixtures, and never indicates that buyers might assume otherwise. This also doesnβt address the issue of whether or not the sellers are keeping the appliances. So, this rule doesnβt bridge the gap.
A home's sellers βββ βββββββ βββββββ ββ βββββββ ββββ βββ ββββ ββ βββ ββββ ββ βββββ ββββ ββ βββ ββββββββββ ββββ βββ βββ βββββββββ ββββββββ βββ ββββ ββ βββ ββββ ββββ ββ βββ βββββ ββ βββββββββββ βββββββ
This gets to the wrong conclusion: the real estate agent never claims that sellers are ever morally obligated to include any appliances, just to inform buyers if they wonβt be including appliances.
A home's sellers βββ βββββββ βββββββ βββ ββ ββββββββββββ βββββββ βββ βββββββββββ ββββββ ββ βββββ ββββ βββββ βββββ ββββββββββ βββ ββββββββ ββββ βββ ββββ ββ βββ ββββ βββ βββββ βββ ββββ
The real estate agent never brings up the idea of sellers deliberately misleading buyers, so this rule is just irrelevant.
If a home's βββββββ ββββ βββββββββ ββ ββββ βββ ββββ β βββββ βββββββββ ββ ββββββββ ββββ βββ ββββββ βββββββββ ββββ ββββ βββ βββββββ βββββββ βββ ββ ββββββ ββββ βββββββββ βββββ βββββββ βββ βββββ
This rule doesnβt trigger, because the real estate agent never discusses the situation of a seller indicating that an appliance is included. It also gets to the wrong conclusion, about selling appliances rather than just about informing buyers.