Genuine happiness consists not in pleasurable feelings but instead in

Question

Genuine happiness consists not in pleasurable feelings but instead in one's sense of approval of one's character and projects. Thus the happy life, in fact, tends to be thegood life, where the good life is understood not as it usually is these days--as a life of material well-being but rather as a morally virtuous life.

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

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

(A) A morally virtuous life requires the rejection of material well-being.

(B) People who approve of their own character and projects tend to lead morally virtuous lives.

(C) Approval of one's own character and projects tends not to result in pleasurable feelings.

(D) Attaining happiness is the real goal of people who strive for material well-being.

(E) Material well-being does not increase one's sense of approval of one's character and projects.

LSAT Official

KarishmaB · Accepted Answer

Genuine happiness consists not in pleasurable feelings but instead in one's sense of approval of one's character and projects.

Conclusion: Happy life tends to be the good life... good life is understood not as a life of material well-being but rather as a morally virtuous life.

Note that the premises talk about happiness coming from "one's sense of approval of one's character and projects".
The conclusion talks about happy life coming from morally virtuous life.

Hence, the assumption is that one's sense of approval of one's character leads to morally virtuous life.

(A) A morally virtuous life requires the rejection of material well-being.

Not assumed. A morally virtuous life requires "one's sense of approval of one's character" as per the argument. It does not require rejection of material well being.

(B) People who approve of their own character and projects tend to lead morally virtuous lives.

Correct. As discussed above, it is an assumption.

(C) Approval of one's own character and projects tends not to result in pleasurable feelings.

How pleasurable feelings result is irrelevant.

(D) Attaining happiness is the real goal of people who strive for material well-being.

We don't know what people striving for material well being really want.

(E) Material well-being does not increase one's sense of approval of one's character and projects.

Incorrect. We don't need to assume that material well being does not increase one's sense of approval of one's character. We don't know what all increases/decreases "one's sense of approval of one's character". Material well being could be a factor leading to increase in "one's sense of approval of one's character" which leads to morally virtuous life. The argument only says that good life cannot be defined as material well being. It is defined as morally virtuous life. "one's sense of approval of one's character" leads to morally virtuous life. What all could lead to "one's sense of approval of one's character", we don't know.

Answer (B)

AshutoshB · Answer

GMATNinja , could you please help me to understand how E is incorrect because when negated argument fails

dvishal387 · Answer

Is the OA B?
In the question it says one's sense of approval of one's character and projects which is what is given in option B.

mitrakaushi · Answer

This is insane. B and E are almost the same. I don't think there is a legit way to go about this.

LordStark · Answer

The connection between "one's sense of approval of one's character and projects" and "a morally virtuous life.
" is missing. 
Option B fills this gaps perfectly.

Sreyoshi007 · Answer

Even I am unable to understand the reason we choose B over E. On negating E, the argument falls apart, doesn't it? Experts please help with this

dave13 · Answer

Genuine happiness consists not in pleasurable feelings but instead in one's sense of approval of one's character and projects. Thus the happy life, in fact, tends to be thegood life, where the good life is understood not as it usually is these days--as a life of material well-being but rather as a morally virtuous life.

Summarize:

So happiness is achieved not through pleasurable feelings that are triggered by material well-being, but through leading a morally virtuous life that is achieved through one`s approval of one`s character and projects.

Here are two contrasting views, how genuine happiness is achieved.

The author gives arguments in favor of morally virtuous life. Hence we are concerned with people who are leading morally virtuous life.

Based on the information we summarized let`s make a safe assumption 

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

(A) A morally virtuous life requires the rejection of material well-being. this is not true, because one can lead a morally virtuous life but still can be a billionaire.

(B) People who approve of their own character and projects tend to lead morally virtuous lives. ( CORRECT, We are concerned with people leading a morally virtuous life. And author favors the view that people achieve genuine happiness through approval of ones opinions and projects. This in turn is called a morally virtuous life.

(C) Approval of one's own character and projects tends not to result in pleasurable feelings. ( this is cant be assumed because we don’t know. Finally pleasurable feelings don’t go against morally virtuous life, because if it were so, then leading morally virtuous life wouldn’t make sense  )

(D) Attaining happiness is the real goal of people who strive for material well-being. (we don’t know this, so out of scope)

(E) Material well-being does not increase one's sense of approval of one's character and projects.

First of all we are concerned with people leading a virtuous life, and not with material well-being.
Secondly, author in the argument favors morally virtuous life. we are not concerned with correlation between material wellbeing and increase of one`s approval, because author arguing in favor of virtuous life. so, out of scope.

guys maybe my explanation wll help

mitrakaushi
AshutoshB
Sreyoshi007

mitrakaushi AshutoshB Sreyoshi007

sssanskaar · Answer

Let me help out here.  Disclaimer : Even I was stuck between options B and E for hard 3 mins.

Option B : I was always biased towards this option because it just fills the gap perfectly.

Option E : What I found after a lot of thinking is that we don't need to bother whether material well-being increases one's sense of approval of one's character and projects.  What if it does? so what?  The point is that we have to dump material well-being and improve on approval for our character and projects! From where it does get increased is irrelevant here.

maikikiuu · Answer

I narrowed the option down to B & E, but mistakenly chose E over B.

After reviewing all the notes post in the thread, I have my notes as below:

Main line of reasoning of the prompt:  
Genuine happiness consists in one's sense of approval of one's character and projects. (not pleasurable feelings)
Happy life --> good life
Good life --> morally virtuous life (not life of material well-being)

Primary assumption : approval of one's character and projects --> morally virtuous life (because this assumption links the beginning to the end)

Of course there are secondly assumptions too, such as:
happy = good
life of material well-being =|| (not equal to/cannot bring) approval of one's character and projects (option E)

Those secondly assumptions may be evaluated in AWA, but in CR question, we must focus on the main line of reasoning.  Therefore option B trumps option E.

arya251294 · Answer

I found option B to be a conclusion and not an assumption. Can you help me out in understanding how option B is filling the gap here? The stem itself says that happiness comes from approval -> happiness leads to good life -> good life is not related to material well-being but rather to morally virtuous life.

so it follows that option B is a conclusion, please help in understanding where did I go wrong?

VerbalBot · Answer

Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.

Genuine happiness consists not in pleasurable feelings but instead in

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) Questions

Genuine happiness consists not in pleasurable feelings but instead in

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards