Wife: The work of the artist who painted the portrait of my grandparen

Wife: The work of the artist who painted the portrait of my grandparents 50 years ago has become quite popular lately, so the portrait has recently become valuable. But since these sorts of artistic fads fade rapidly, the practical thing to do would be to sell the portrait while it is still worth something, and thereby enable our daughter to attend the college she has chosen.

Husband: How could you make such a suggestion? That painting is the only thing you own that belonged to your grandparents. I don’t think it’s a very good painting, but it has great sentimental value. Besides, you owe it to our daughter to keep it in the family as a link to her family’s past.

The husband uses which one of the following argumentative techniques in replying to the wife’s suggestion?

Wife: The practical thing to do would be to sell the portrait while it is still worth something, and thereby enable our daughter to attend the college she has chosen.
Husband contradicts by: but it has great sentimental value. Besides, you owe it to our daughter to keep it in the family as a link to her family’s past.

pre thinking: The husband provides another view to support his claim.


(A) taking issue with the practicality of her suggestion. No, he talks about sentimental value

(B) questioning her aesthetic judgment. Irrelevant.

(C) claiming that the reasons she gives are based on emotions rather than on rational considerations. Quite opposite

(D) asserting that the evidence she cites in support of her suggestion is false. This seems to be a serious contender as the husband says'I don’t think it’s a very good painting, but it has great sentimental value'.But that amount may still be good enough to send the child to school. Also, the husband emphasizes more on sentimental value than actual value of the painting

(E) invoking a competing obligation that he judges to override her practical considerations.Yes, the husband provides an alternate explanation.