Assumption Identification Flashcards

'The plaintiff suffered an injury after using the product, therefore the manufacturer must be liable.' What assumption is this argument based on?

Answer: The product caused the injury rather than some other unrelated factor

The argument assumes a direct causal link between the product and the injury, bypassing the need to rule out other causes.

'Students who read more have larger vocabularies. Therefore, reading programs will improve students' vocabularies.' What assumption is being made?

Answer: The correlation between reading frequency and vocabulary reflects a causal relationship

The argument assumes that because reading and vocabulary are correlated, reading programs will cause vocabulary to improve.

'This neighbourhood was once considered dangerous, so it must still be dangerous today.' What assumption underlies this reasoning?

Answer: The conditions and circumstances in the neighbourhood have not changed significantly since it was dangerous

The argument assumes that past conditions persist unchanged into the present without considering that circumstances may have changed.

'The policy reduced traffic accidents in Country A, so it will reduce accidents in Country B as well.' What assumption is being made?

Answer: Country B's traffic conditions are sufficiently similar to those in Country A for the policy to transfer

The argument assumes that relevant conditions in Country B resemble those in Country A closely enough for the same policy to produce comparable results.

'Since no evidence of wrongdoing has been found, the official must be innocent.' What assumption is made?

Answer: The investigation was sufficiently thorough that it would have uncovered wrongdoing if any existed

The argument assumes that the absence of evidence is meaningful only if the investigation was comprehensive enough to find evidence that exists.

'The lawyer argued persuasively, so the jury must have been convinced.' What assumption underlies this statement?

Answer: The persuasiveness of the legal argument is what ultimately determines the jury's verdict

The argument assumes that the persuasive quality of the lawyer's presentation was the decisive factor in the jury's decision.

'Increasing the minimum wage will reduce poverty because workers will earn more money.' What key assumption does this argument make?

Answer: Employers will not respond by reducing staff numbers or cutting employee hours

The argument assumes that employers will absorb the cost without reducing employment, so that workers actually end up with more income.