Journalist: The city council's new zoning policy restricts high-density residential buildings to the downtown core. This restriction will inevitably drive up housing prices in the suburbs, because demand for suburban housing will remain high while supply remains artificially limited. It follows that the new zoning policy will exacerbate the region's overall affordability crisis. Therefore, the mayor should veto the council's policy before it takes effect.
Which one of the following most accurately describes the role played in the journalist's argument by the claim that the new zoning policy will exacerbate the region's overall affordability crisis?
- AIt is the overall main conclusion of the argument, which is supported by evidence regarding suburban housing prices.
- BIt is an anticipated objection to the argument's main conclusion that the journalist attempts to refute.
- It is a subsidiary conclusion that is supported by a claim about suburban housing prices and that is used, in turn, to support the argument's main conclusion.Answer
- DIt is a broad principle that the argument applies to the specific case of the city council's zoning policy.
- EIt is background information provided merely to establish the context in which the city council's zoning policy was proposed.
Answer
The statement acts as an intermediate (subsidiary) conclusion that bridges the predicted rise in suburban housing prices to the final recommendation that the mayor should veto the policy.
The correct answer accurately identifies the target statement as a subsidiary (or intermediate) conclusion. The phrase 'It follows that' indicates that it is a conclusion drawn from the preceding evidence about rising suburban housing prices. In turn, this statement serves as a premise to justify the argument's final prescriptive claim: that the mayor should veto the policy (indicated by 'Therefore').
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Evaluating Intermediate Conclusions