1. Reconstruct (but don’t evaluate) the arguments below. Put the arguments into
ID: 414244 • Letter: 1
Question
1. Reconstruct (but don’t evaluate) the arguments below. Put the arguments into standard form, adding premises where necessary.
A. Employees have an obligation to do whatever their employer tells them to do. This is clear because employees are paid to do what their employers request of them. Also, we have an obligation to do what we accept payment to do.
B. Even though globalization can drive down wages and eliminate jobs for domestic workers, it is a net economic benefit for the country. It keeps costs and (consequently) inflation down and foreign investment keeps interest rates low. These economic benefits outweigh the cons. Since globalization is a net economic benefit there should be no restrictions on it, because there shouldn’t be any restrictions on what is economically beneficial.
C. If Ricardo is right then countries should export what they can produce most efficiently and import what they produce least efficiently (even if they produce it more efficiently than all other countries!). However, countries shouldn’t always produce only what they can produce most efficiently because it can lead to dangerous over-specialization. So, Ricardo is wrong.
D. A recession is two consecutive quarters of decline in gross domestic product. So Canada has not recently had a recession.
E. If many historical authors aren’t overestimating their own importance, then the pen is mightier than the sword. But a pen is just an enclosure for containing animals and so it is not mightier than a sword, which can kill animals. So, many historical authors are overestimating their own importance.
F. Most employees want recognition and become dissatisfied if they do not receive credit for the work they do. If someone receives credit then she receives some goods or services prior to paying for them. So most employees will become dissatisfied if they do not, in exchange for their work, receive some goods or services before paying for them.
Explanation / Answer
A.
Employees are paid to do what their employers request of them.
We have an obligation to do what we accept payment to do.
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Employees have an obligation to do whatever their employer tells them to do.
B.
Globalization is a net economic benefit for the country.
It can drive down wages and eliminate jobs for domestic workers.
It keeps costs and (consequently) inflation down.
Foreign investment keeps interest rates low.
Globalization’s economic benefits outweigh the cons.
There should not be any restrictions on what is economically beneficial.
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There should be no restrictions on globalization.
C.
Ricardo says that countries should export what they can produce most efficiently and import what they produce least efficiently.
Countries shouldn’t always produce only what they can produce most efficiently because it can lead to dangerous over-specialization.
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Ricardo is wrong.
D.
A recession is two consecutive quarters of decline in gross domestic product.
Canada did not have two consecutive quarters of decline in gross domestic product recently. (Implicit premise)
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Canada has not recently had a recession.
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