Economist: An emerging technology sector can achieve sustained capital investment only if regulatory agencies establish transparent intellectual property protections and enforce strict antitrust guidelines. Recent legislation in Valdoria has successfully established fully transparent patent protections and mandated comprehensive antitrust enforcement across its domestic software industry. Thus, Valdoria's software industry is now assured of securing sustained capital investment in the coming fiscal cycle.
Which of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the economist's reasoning?
- Apresumes, without providing justification, that an action undertaken to meet statutory mandates will inevitably generate unintended economic costs
- Bbases its conclusion on an uncritical acceptance of factual claims whose empirical reliability has been disputed
- infers that a set of conditions that is required for an outcome is also sufficient to guarantee that outcomeAnswer
- Dmistakes a factual statement supporting an intermediate step for the overall conclusion of the argument
- Econcludes that an economic condition is guaranteed based solely on evidence that the condition is merely probable
Answer
The argument is flawed because it infers that a set of conditions required for an outcome is sufficient to guarantee that outcome.
The economist establishes that intellectual property protections and antitrust enforcement are necessary conditions ('only if') for sustained capital investment. In the conclusion, the economist asserts that because these prerequisites have been fulfilled, sustained investment is assured. This erroneously equates a necessary requirement with a sufficient guarantee.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Confusing Necessary and Sufficient Conditions
Estimated Time:1m 45s