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Difficulty: EasyApplying the Negation Technique

City Council Member: To reduce the severe traffic congestion on Main Street during rush hour, we should implement a toll for driving on that road during peak times. People strongly dislike paying tolls, so they will choose alternative routes. This behavioral shift will successfully ease the traffic on Main Street.

Which one of the following is an assumption required by the argument?

  1. A
    Every driver who currently uses Main Street during rush hour has a viable alternative route available to them.
  2. B
    The revenue generated by the new toll will be used to improve the condition of alternative routes.
  3. C
    Drivers do not actually dislike paying tolls as much as the city council member claims.
  4. At least some drivers who currently use Main Street during rush hour have alternative routes available to them.Answer
  5. E
    Most drivers will refuse to pay the toll even if they do not have any alternative routes available to them.

Answer

The correct assumption is that at least some drivers who use Main Street have alternative routes available to them.
This statement is logically required by the argument. Using the Negation Technique, if we negate 'at least some' to 'none', we get: 'No drivers who currently use Main Street during rush hour have alternative routes available to them.' If this were true, drivers would be forced to stay on Main Street despite the toll, meaning the traffic would not be eased through the mechanism described. Because negating this statement destroys the argument's conclusion, it is a strictly necessary assumption.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the conclusion and premises of the argument.
Conclusion: The toll will ease traffic. Premise: People dislike tolls and will choose alternative routes.
Understanding the argument structure is the first step in finding the necessary assumption.
2
Identify the logical gap between the premises and the conclusion.
The argument assumes that choosing alternative routes is actually a viable physical possibility for the drivers.
A necessary assumption must bridge the gap between what is stated and what is concluded.
3
Apply the Negation Technique to the strongest candidate.
Negating 'At least some drivers have alternative routes' becomes 'No drivers have alternative routes.' If true, drivers cannot choose alternative routes, and traffic will not be eased. This destroys the argument.
The Negation Technique definitively proves whether an assumption is logically required.

Key Concept

Applying the Negation Technique to Necessary Assumptions
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Applying the Negation Technique

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