Question

Difficulty: Very hardIdentifying Main Conclusions

Read the following argument carefully. Match each excerpt from the argument (on the left) to the correct description of its structural role in the reasoning (on the right).

Argument:
Despite the assertions of some legal scholars, the recent proliferation of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) does not necessitate a fundamental rewrite of current corporate liability laws. It must be conceded that DAOs lack traditional centralized management, a characteristic those scholars claim renders them immune to statutes requiring an identifiable corporate officer for liability purposes. However, the foundational smart contracts of any DAO establish immutable, predetermined rules for capital allocation, making them functionally analogous to a traditional corporate charter. Because entities governed primarily by rigid corporate charters have historically been successfully regulated under existing legal precedents, the supposedly unprecedented management structure of DAOs actually presents only a superficial jurisdictional challenge.

  • "...the recent proliferation of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) does not necessitate a fundamental rewrite of current corporate liability laws."The primary conclusion the argument seeks to establish.
  • "...DAOs lack traditional centralized management..."A concession made by the author to a premise of the opposing argument.
  • "...the foundational smart contracts of any DAO establish immutable, predetermined rules for capital allocation, making them functionally analogous to a traditional corporate charter."A premise advanced to justify an intermediate conclusion.
  • "...the supposedly unprecedented management structure of DAOs actually presents only a superficial jurisdictional challenge."An intermediate conclusion drawn to support the argument's primary conclusion.

Answer

The first excerpt is the primary conclusion. The second excerpt is a concession to the opposing argument. The third excerpt is a premise supporting an intermediate conclusion. The fourth excerpt is an intermediate conclusion supporting the primary conclusion.
The argument utilizes a complex structure: asserting the main conclusion in the first sentence by rejecting an opponent's view, conceding a premise to the opponent, and then building an intermediate conclusion (supported by its own premises) to prove the main conclusion. By tracing the logical 'why', we see that the first excerpt is the ultimate point, the fourth excerpt supports the first excerpt, the third excerpt supports the fourth excerpt, and the second excerpt is an acknowledged fact.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the opposing view and the author's main point.
The opposing view belongs to 'some legal scholars' who imply laws must be rewritten. The author's main point (first sentence) is a direct rejection of this: a fundamental rewrite is not necessitated.
Finding the main conclusion first anchors the structural analysis of the rest of the argument.
2
Analyze the function of the second excerpt regarding centralized management.
It is introduced with 'It must be conceded' and is used by the scholars to argue against the author. Thus, it is a factual concession to the opposing premise.
Understanding what the author admits versus what they assert helps separate the two sides of the debate.
3
Determine the relationship between the final sentence (fourth excerpt) and the rest of the argument.
The fourth excerpt is a conclusion drawn from the 'Because...' clause and the smart contract premise. Since it supports the primary conclusion (that a rewrite isn't needed), it is an intermediate (subsidiary) conclusion.
Many arguments place a subsidiary conclusion at the end to test whether students can distinguish it from the main conclusion.
4
Identify the role of the third excerpt about smart contracts.
It provides the foundational fact (DAOs are like corporate charters) that allows the author to draw the intermediate conclusion. It is a premise for the intermediate conclusion.
Tracing the logical flow shows that the third excerpt supports the fourth excerpt, which in turn supports the first excerpt.

Key Concept

Distinguishing between a main conclusion, an intermediate conclusion, and premises, especially when the main conclusion appears early in the stimulus.
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