zuberahmed wrote:
If we are forced to have local drug rehabilitation centers-and society has determined that we are-then society ought to pay for them.
Which of the following, if true, would weaken the above argument?
A) Drug rehabilitation centers are too expensive to be locally funded.
B) Many neighborhood groups support rehabilitation centers.
C) Drug rehabilitation centers are expensive to maintain.
D) Drug addicts may be unwilling to receive treatment.
E) A government committee has convinced many groups that local rehabilitation centers are ineffective.
Here the stimulus says that we are forced to have drug rehabilitation centers because society demands it. And if Society demands drug rehabilitation centers, then society should pay for them.
Premise: Society demands drug rehabilitation centers
Conclusion: Therefore, society should pay for drug rehabilitation centers.
In a weaken question, look for an answer choice that weakens one of the premises or the conclusion.
A) Is incorrect because even if they are expensive, the argument is that if society demands it, then society should pay for it. Expense of the centers doesn't weaken the premise or conclusion.
B) is incorrect because it strengthens the argument. If neighborhood groups support rehabilitation centers then it adds support to the premise that society demands these centers. It does nothing to weaken.
C) Shares the same problem as A.
D) is incorrect because the stimulus is only arguing that drug rehabilitation centers should be funded because society demands that they exist. Although D calls into question the effectiveness of having drug treatment centers, we need to focus on the argument in the stimulus. Don't stray too far from the reasoning in the stimulus or you'll get the answer incorrect.
E) takes two elements of society: 1) Government and 2) many groups and indicates that these two elements in society think the rehab centers are ineffective. Therefore, it calls into question whether or not society really demands local drug rehab centers. This is your correct choice.
Note that a correct answer choice in a weaken question doesn't have to disprove the stimulus' argument, it merely has to call it into question.