Question

Difficulty: MediumIdentifying Sufficient Assumptions

Analyze each of the following logical arguments regarding a proposed city library project. Match each argument with the sufficient assumption that logically guarantees its conclusion.

  • The new library will be constructed only if the federal grant is approved. The federal grant has just been approved. Thus, construction on the new library will undoubtedly begin.Approval of the federal grant is all that is required to ensure the construction of the new library.
  • If the city council approves the rezoning, the new library will be constructed. The mayor has expressed her full support for the project. Therefore, the new library will be constructed.The mayor's endorsement of the project guarantees that the city council will approve the rezoning.
  • Constructing the new library will revitalize the downtown area. As a direct result, the city's overall tax revenue will experience a significant increase.Any revitalization of the downtown area inevitably leads to a significant increase in the city's tax revenue.
  • Unless the old community center is demolished, the new library cannot be constructed. The historical society has successfully blocked the demolition. Therefore, the federal grant will surely be revoked.Failing to construct the new library guarantees the revocation of the federal grant.

Answer

Argument 1 matches with 'Approval of the federal grant is all that is required...'; Argument 2 matches with 'The mayor's endorsement of the project guarantees...'; Argument 3 matches with 'Any revitalization of the downtown area inevitably leads...'; Argument 4 matches with 'Failing to construct the new library guarantees...'
Each argument contains a specific logical gap that must be closed for its conclusion to be strictly justified. The correct pairs provide the exact conditional bridge (A -> B) needed to connect the disjointed premises to their respective conclusions.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the first argument for its logical gap.
Premise: Construction requires Grant Approval. Fact: Grant Approved. Conclusion: Construction. Gap: Assumes Grant Approval guarantees Construction.
Identifying the formal logic structure reveals an illegal reversal, requiring an assumption that makes the necessary condition sufficient.
2
Analyze the second argument for its logical gap.
Premise: Rezoning guarantees Construction. Fact: Mayor Supports. Conclusion: Construction. Gap: Mayor Supports must guarantee Rezoning.
The conclusion relies on a conditional statement being triggered, requiring a link between the new evidence (mayor's support) and the trigger (rezoning).
3
Analyze the third argument for its logical gap.
Premise: Construction guarantees Revitalization. Conclusion: Construction guarantees Tax Increase. Gap: Revitalization must guarantee Tax Increase.
The conclusion introduces 'tax revenue', a new concept not found in the premises, which must be logically linked to the intermediate result.
4
Analyze the fourth argument for its logical gap.
Premise: Construction requires Demolition. Fact: No Demolition. Intermediate: No Construction. Conclusion: Grant Revoked. Gap: No Construction must guarantee Grant Revoked.
The contrapositive establishes the library won't be built. A bridge is needed to connect this established fact to the totally new consequence (grant revoked).

Key Concept

Identifying Sufficient Assumptions
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