PT9.S3.Q20 > Analytics

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Policy Adviser: Support Freedom of speech is not only a basic human right; Conclusion it is also the only rational policy for this government to adopt. ████ █████ ███ ██████ ██████ ████ █████ █████████ █████ █████████ ███ ██████ ██████████ ██ █████ ███ █████████ █████ ███ ██ █████████ ██ ██ ████████ █████████ ███████ ██ ████ ██████ ██ ███████ ████████ ██ ███████████ █████ ████████ ██ ███████

Argument Breakdown

The policy adviser concludes that the government should adopt a free speech policy. The adviser gives two primary reasons: that free speech is a human right, and that free speech is pragmatic policy. The rest of the adviser's argument supports this latter point. We see that a free speech policy is rational because it allows good ideas to beat out silly (or even dangerous) ideas, and because there are no benefits to suppressing free speech.

20.

The policy adviser’s method of ███████████ ██ ████████████ █ ██████ ██ ████ ██████ ██ ███ ███████████ ██ ████ █████████ ██ █████ ███ ██ ███ ██████████

Question Type

Method of reasoning or descriptive

We're looking for an answer choice that matches the adviser's argument without inaccuracies. It might be hard to predict exactly how the argument will be described though, so process of elimination is a good bet. We can eliminate any answer choice that is inaccurate—for example, an answer choice that says the policy adviser relies on statistical evidence. It can also be helpful to make abstract language concrete: if we understand what part of the argument an answer choice is referring to, it's easier to say whether it's accurate.

a circular justification ██ ███ ████ ██ ████ ██████ ██ ██ ████ ████ ██████████ ████ ████ ██████ ██ ███████

The adviser's argument is not circular: to support free speech being a rational policy, the adviser relies on distinct claims about the benefits of free speech. And while the adviser discusses the flourishing of good ideas, the flourishing of the idea of free speech is never mentioned. (A) is inaccurate to the argument.

If you were tempted by (A), take a second look at the entry for circular reasoning on the flaw cheat sheet. In a circular argument, the premises must be restatements of the conclusion rather than independent claims.

39%

advocating respect for █████ ██████ ██ ████████ ███ ███ ███ ████

The adviser does mention that free speech is a human right, but also that it's a rational policy. And it's rational because it has concrete benefits, not out of a sheer respect for human rights. This makes (B) inaccurate, because the adviser doesn't support human rights just for their own sake.

14%

a coupling of █████ ██████ ████ █████████████

The adviser offers a moral reason to adopt a free speech policy: free speech is a human right. And the adviser also appeals to the government's self-interest by discussing why free speech is a rational policy. (C) accurately describes the argument's use of both moral and practical reasoning.

36%

a warning about ███ ██████████ ██ ███████████ ███ █████

The adviser says that it's not useful to suppress free speech, but that's not the same as "suppressing the truth," nor is it a question of "difficulty." That makes (D) inaccurate.

a description of ██ █████ █████████ ████ ██████ █████████████ ██ ████████

The adviser doesn't discuss any impossible ideal situations. The adviser instead relies on realistic benefits in order to recommend an achievable policy. (E) is not accurate to the argument.

PrepTest 9 - Section 3 - Question 20

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