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Difficulty: MediumNecessary Assumption

Historian: Excavations at the ancient city of Tarsos have uncovered a cache of intricate silver jewelry dating to the 2nd century BCE. Chemical analysis shows this silver contains significant traces of platinum. However, there were no known silver mines containing platinum ore within a thousand miles of Tarsos. The only known mines of this type from that era were located in the distant empire of Kaelen. Thus, the presence of this jewelry proves that Tarsos engaged in direct, long-distance trade with Kaelen.

Which of the following are necessary assumptions upon which the historian's argument depends? (Select all that apply)

  1. The silver used to create the jewelry was not transported from Kaelen to Tarsos entirely by intermediary merchants from other regions.Answer
  2. The silver found in the Tarsian jewelry was not acquired from Kaelen solely through military conquest or looting.Answer
  3. C
    All of the silver utilized by Tarsian artisans during the 2nd century BCE was imported from Kaelen.
  4. D
    The empire of Kaelen actively sought out new trade partners in regions as distant as Tarsos.
  5. E
    The economic prosperity of Tarsos during the 2nd century BCE was directly caused by its lucrative trade network with Kaelen.

Answer

The necessary assumptions are that the silver was not transported entirely by intermediaries and that it was not acquired solely through military conquest.
The correct answers identify unstated premises that are logically required for the conclusion to hold. The conclusion specifically claims that Tarsos engaged in 'direct, long-distance trade'. If the silver was transported entirely by intermediary merchants, the trade would be indirect. Similarly, if the silver was acquired solely through military conquest, no 'trade' occurred at all. Therefore, the argument depends on the assumption that neither of these defeating scenarios took place.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the argument's structure.
The premises state that Tarsos jewelry contains platinum-laced silver, and the only known source is Kaelen. The conclusion claims this proves 'direct, long-distance trade' between Tarsos and Kaelen.
Isolating the exact wording of the conclusion is required to identify logical gaps.
2
Identify potential vulnerabilities in the reasoning.
The conclusion relies on the specific words 'direct' and 'trade'. Alternative explanations for how the silver arrived (e.g., middlemen, theft) would undermine these specific claims.
Necessary assumptions often function as defenders that rule out alternative explanations.
3
Apply the Negation Test to each option.
Negating the option about intermediaries means trade was indirect. Negating the option about military conquest means the silver was stolen, not traded. Both negations destroy the conclusion.
A statement is a necessary assumption if and only if its logical negation invalidates the argument's conclusion.

Key Concept

Necessary Assumption (Defender Pattern)
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Topics

Necessary Assumption

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