The publisher of a best-selling self-help book had, in some promotiona

Tough One. Here are my 2 cents

Lets state the premises
a) Author knowingly made a false claim because the definition of exceptional prohibits "success" to be a widespread phenomenon.
b) Of course, everyone knows that no book can deliver to the many what..blah blah: key point to note here is that everyone knows that it is a false claim

so the author knows it is a false claim, everyone else knows it is a false claim and the conclusion is author didn't do anything unethical hmm..

Lets review the options:


(A) Knowingly making a false claim is unethical only if it is reasonable for people to accept the claim as true.
Since people know the claim to be false, this option strengthens

(B) Knowingly making a false claim is unethical if those making it derive a gain at the expense of those acting as if the claim were true.
nowhere in the stimulus it has been mentioned that the author is deriving any benefits. Sure it is best selling, but the author could be donating the money in charity. Also, we don't if readers will act on it, we are not sure that our case is the one described by this option.

(C) Knowingly making a false claim is unethical in only those cases in which those who accept the claim as true suffer a hardship greater than the gain they were anticipating.
again we don't know whether this is describing the case in question.

(D) Knowingly making a false claim is unethical only if there is a possibility that someone will act as if the claim might be true.
"Act" is the key word here. we know that people know the claim made by the publisher to be false but whether any of them will act as if were true.

(E) Knowingly making a false claim is unethical in at least those cases in which for someone else to discover that the claim is false, that person must have acted as if the claim were true.
again we don't know the case in question resembles the one described here.

A) is direct and hence the answer.

zac123, sorry that we couldn't get you some more timely advice

For anyone looking for general verbal help, I can recommend the following threads as a starting point:

• RC: https://gmatclub.com/forum/experts-topi ... 41004.html
• CR: https://gmatclub.com/forum/experts-topi ... 43170.html
• SC: https://gmatclub.com/forum/ultimate-sc- ... 44623.html
• Souvik's verbal study plan: https://gmatclub.com/forum/ultimate-ver ... 33279.html
• Verbal timing: https://gmatclub.com/forum/strategy-of- ... 38048.html

As for this specific question, the conclusion is, "although it is clear that the publisher knowingly made a false claim, doing so should not be considered unethical in this case." We are looking for something that MOST STRONGLY SUPPORTS the reasoning of the argument. Choice (B) suggests that the publisher's actions SHOULD be considered unethical. We want something that suggests that the publisher's actions should NOT be considered unethical.

I hope that helps!

Argument:
Publisher claims that the book shows how to be exceptionally successful.
Everyone knows a book can't show everyone how to be "exceptional" since if everyone is exceptional, no one will be.
It is clear that publisher knowingly made a false claim.

But it should not be considered unethical in this case.

Why? The point is why it should not be considered unethical in "this" case? What supports this?

The argument clearly states that a claim is made but everyone knows it cannot be true. So if we can say that "when everyone knows it is a false claim then it should not be considered unethical," it helps our conclusion.


(A) Knowingly making a false claim is unethical only if it is reasonable for people to accept the claim as true.

This helps. So it is unethical only if people will accept it to be true. But since everyone knows it is a false claim, it should not be considered unethical. This is correct.

(B) Knowingly making a false claim is unethical if those making it derive a gain at the expense of those acting as if the claim were true.

We don't know whether the publisher derives any gain.

(C) Knowingly making a false claim is unethical in only those cases in which those who accept the claim as true suffer a hardship greater than the gain they were anticipating.

We don't know if anyone accepted the claim as true and then suffered a hardship.

(D) Knowingly making a false claim is unethical only if there is a possibility that someone will act as if the claim might be true.

We don't know whether there is a possibility that someone will ACT as if the claim might be true.

(E) Knowingly making a false claim is unethical in at least those cases in which for someone else to discover that the claim is false, that person must have acted as if the claim were true.

The moment you read "at least those cases" you know this is not the answer. It talks about some cases in which it is unethical. What happens in rest of the cases, we don't know. We need to know about those cases in which it is NOT unethical.

Answer (A)

Option A states that " Knowingly making a false claim is unethical only if it is reasonable for people to accept the claim as true. "
That means " Knowingly making a false claim is not unethical if it is NOT reasonable for people to accept the claim as true."
The passage says that publisher's claim is not unethical as everyone finds the claim NOT reasonable to accept.
So option A supports the reasoning mentioned in the passage.
Option A is the answer.
Please give me kudo s if you liked my explanation.

Ans:A
(A) Knowingly making a false claim is unethical only if it is reasonable for people to accept the claim as true.

(B) Knowingly making a false claim is unethical if those making it derive a gain at the expense of those acting as if the claim were true.

(C) Knowingly making a false claim is unethical in only those cases in which those who accept the claim as true suffer a hardship greater than the gain they were anticipating.

(D) Knowingly making a false claim is unethical only if there is a possibility that someone will act as if the claim might be true.

(E) Knowingly making a false claim is unethical in at least those cases in which for someone else to discover that the claim is false, that person must have acted as if the claim were true.

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.