Bunuel
That long-term cigarette smoking can lead to health problems including cancer and lung disease is a scientifically well-established fact. Contrary to what many people seem to believe, however, it is not necessary to deny this fact in order to reject the view that tobacco companies should be held either morally or legally responsible for the poor health of smokers. After all, excessive consumption of candy undeniably leads to such health problems as tooth decay, but no one seriously believes that candy eaters who get cavities should be able to sue candy manufacturers.
The main point of the argument is that
(A) no one should feel it necessary to deny the scientifically well-established fact that long-term cigarette smoking can lead to health problems
(B) people who get cavities should not be able to sue candy manufacturers
(C) the fact that smokers’ health problems can be caused by their smoking is not enough to justify holding tobacco companies either legally or morally responsible for those problems
(D) excessive consumption of candy will lead to health problems just as surely as long-term cigarette smoking will
(E) if candy manufacturers were held responsible for tooth decay among candy eaters then tobacco companies should also be held responsible for health problems suffered by smokers
Correct answer: C
(A): Incorrect. The argument does not concern whether people might feel it necessary to deny the scientific fact that smoking is hazardous. Rather, the argument concludes that since other products can be hazardous too, denying the scientific fact is not necessary in order to make an argument against the sanction of tobacco companies.
(B): Incorrect. The argument concerns tobacco companies by making an analogy to candy companies. The argument concludes that if candy companies cannot be held accountable for the damage that candy consumption causes, the same reasoning could be applied to tobacco companies.
(C): Correct. The argument makes the analogy between smoking and candy consumption to conclude that the dangers posed by smoking are not sufficient in themselves to sanction tobacco companies.
(D): Incorrect. (D) is not the main conclusion of the argument but a premise that supports it. Further, the argument does not consider whether the excessive consumption of candy will "just as surely" lead to deleterious health effects, just that it undeniably does.
(E): Incorrect. (E) makes a normative conclusion: what should happen if something else happens. Rather, the argument merely concerns how one should respond to the argument that tobacco companies be sanctioned, stating that they need not make an argument about the veracity of the scientific claims.