Psychologist: People tend to make certain cognitive errors when they p

Question

Psychologist: People tend to make certain cognitive errors when they predict how a given event would affect their future happiness. But people should not necessarily try to rid themselves of this tendency. After all, in a visual context, lines that are actually parallel often appear to people as if they converge. If a surgeon offered to restructure your eyes and visual cortex so that parallel lines would no longer ever appear to converge, it would not be reasonable to take the surgeon up on the offer.

The psychologist’s argument does which one of the following?

(A) attempts to refute a claim that a particular event is inevitable by establishing the possibility of an alternative event

(B) attempts to undermine a theory by calling into question an assumption on which the theory is based

(C) argues that an action might not be appropriate by suggesting that a corresponding action in an analogous situation is not appropriate

(D) argues that two situations are similar by establishing that the same action would be reasonable in each situation

(E) attempts to establish a generalization and then uses that generalization to argue against a particular action

manass · Answer

Psychologist: says that people make cognitive errors when they predict future happiness. But people should not try to get rid of that ( the tendency to predict happiness)
Then he gives an example that even if after surgery you wont see parallel lines( wont be happy) , it is still a good reason to go for surgery.

(A) attempts to refute a claim that a particular event is inevitable by establishing the possibility of an alternative event--  statement 2 is not an alternate event but like an example.

(B) attempts to undermine a theory by calling into question an assumption on which the theory is based- -does not calls into question but supports the theory

(C) argues that an action might not be appropriate by suggesting that a corresponding action in an analogous situation is not appropriate-- correct

(D) argues that two situations are similar by establishing that the same action would be reasonable in each situation-- situation 2 is a subset of situation 1

(E) attempts to establish a generalization and then uses that generalization to argue against a particular action--not attempting to generalize something.

Rashed12 · Answer

In the argument, first cognitive errors have been mentioned and later parallel lines have been introduced. Both are different issue; they have no link with each other. But in C option, analogous situation has been mentioned. How the two situations has analogy and how C is correct answer.

Kindly help me to get explanation in detail how C is correct answer.

RohitSaluja · Answer

Hi  Rashed12  here are my two cents, Lets look at the option choices

(A) attempts to refute a claim that a particular event is inevitable by establishing the possibility of an alternative event :  The author never refuted a claim, but rather mentioned why a course of action in a situation might be appropriate by posing another situation

(B) attempts to undermine a theory by calling into question an assumption on which the theory is based   The author never undermined any theory

(C) argues that an action might not be appropriate by suggesting that a corresponding action in an analogous situation is not appropriate   To be honest I was down to C and E, and chose E, as mentioned in explanation of option A, the author mentioned that an action in one situation is appropriate and then the author draws on another situation to support it, so lets hold on to this

(D) argues that two situations are similar by establishing that the same action would be reasonable in each situation   Author didnot argued that the two situations are similar but rather called in another situation just to support the argument

(E) attempts to establish a generalization and then uses that generalization to argue against a particular action   Generalization is something that could have wider applicability, but the author only mentioned why not taking action in a certain sitaution could work

yc168 · Answer

OE for reference:

Overview:  
The psychologist argues that people should not necessarily try to rid themselves of a tendency to make cognitive errors of a certain type. This conclusion is supported by a comparison to the undesirability of ridding themselves of a tendency toward a certain type of visual error. Your task is to find the answer choice that describes how this argument works.

The Correct Answer:

C  The argument does what (C) describes. It argues that an action (trying to overcome our tendency to make certain cognitive errors when making predictions about future happiness) might not be appropriate. And it argues for this by presenting a situation that is analogous in that it also concerns a tendency toward error—the error of perceiving lines that are actually parallel as if they converge. Having surgery to change our tendency to misperceive parallel lines in this situation corresponds to trying to overcome our tendency to make cognitive errors. And the argument suggests that having this surgery is not appropriate.

The Incorrect Answer Choices:

A  The argument does not claim that any particular event is inevitable. It does claim that we tend to make certain kinds of errors, but it doesn’t claim that we inevitably make those errors. Even in the visual context, the argument only claims that parallel lines  often  appear to converge.

B  The only thing the argument attempts to undermine is the view that people should try to rid themselves of their tendency to make certain cognitive errors, but it's not accurate to consider this view a theory. Moreover, the argument does not refer to, much less call into question, any assumption on which this view is based, so the argument cannot be said to do what (B) describes.

D  The psychologist doesn't actually argue that the two situations (the tendency to make certain cognitive errors and the tendency to make a particular visual error) are similar. The psychologist's argument merely assumes that they are similar in certain respects. Moreover, the psychologist's argument does not try to establish that the same action would be reasonable in each situation. It asserts that the action would not be reasonable in the case of the visual error and argues that the corresponding action would not be reasonable in the case of the cognitive errors.

E  The psychologist does argue against a particular action (trying to get rid of a tendency to make certain cognitive errors) but the psychologist's argument does not use a generalization to do so. Instead, it compares that particular action to a different particular action (having surgery). Hence the argument does not do what (E) describes.

Psychologist: People tend to make certain cognitive errors when they p

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Psychologist: People tend to make certain cognitive errors when they p

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