Although it may seem to be counterintuitive, a country must

Question

Although it may seem to be counterintuitive, a country must reduce poverty and hunger concurrent with a reduction in the death rate if it hopes not to suffer a major growth in population. Poor and hungry people will feel the need to have many children until infant mortality decreases as the result of the benefits of economic growth.

This argument would be weakened if it could be shown that
A) poverty and hunger do not necessarily account for a country's death rate
B) most large families consist of four different generations
C) infant mortality is not the primary reason for having many children
D) the rate of infant mortality need not increase when the death rate increases
E) in most wealthy countries, the benefits of economic growth are differentially distributed across the population

dr_sabr · Answer

I will go with C. 

I think the direction of the argument is as the following:

poverty and hunger ===> the desire of having many children because of infant mortality ====> major growth in population.

So the argument could be attacked from the point that "Poor and hungry people will feel the need to have many children until infant mortality decreases". 

Correct me if I am mistaken.

Good luck

ashkg · Answer

I agree with C.

reduce(poverty,hunger,death rate) ===> reduce(pop growth)

high(infant death rate) =>poor people want more children => high(pop)

So, if infant death rate is not the main reason for having children, the premise is weakened.

A. poverty and hunger are not related to death rate 
B. Out of scope - OOS
D. doesn't sound logical. It is infant mortality that affects the death rate.
E. Again OOS

- ash

Skeletor1 · Answer

Can someone refute A please?

Thanks.

dr_sabr · Answer

A) poverty and hunger do not necessarily account for a country's death rate. 

The argument indicates that  a country must reduce poverty and hunger concurrent with a reduction in the death rate if it hopes not to suffer a major growth in population , which means that the country must reduce both poverty and hunger and death rate as well, the argument did not indicate any relationship between "poverty and hunger" and "death rate". hence, "A" is wrong. I hope that will help.

Paul · Answer

OA is C. You guys are good

Although it may seem to be counterintuitive, a country must

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