Consider the following argument:
Municipal planners in Westford plan to reduce peak-hour traffic congestion by offering subsidies to private companies that allow employees to work remotely two days per week. The planners contend that because fewer commuters will travel to office buildings during morning rush hours, overall daily traffic delays on major city roadways will decrease substantially.
Statement: The planners' argument depends on the unstated assumption that the reduction in commuter traffic during peak hours will not be offset by an increase in non-work vehicle trips made during those same hours by remote workers.
Cevap: Cevap
Cevap
The statement is TRUE because the argument relies on the unstated assumption that remote workers will not generate new peak-hour non-work trips that offset the decrease in commuting trips.
The statement accurately identifies a necessary unstated assumption of the argument. Using the Negation Test, if remote workers increase non-work vehicle trips during peak hours to an extent that offsets the reduction in commuter trips, the total volume of traffic during peak hours will not decrease, directly invalidating the conclusion that traffic congestion will diminish.
Adım Adım Çözüm
Anahtar Kavram
Negation Test for Unstated Assumptions