Q10 - Editorial: Many observers note

[jenndg100380]

I was down to (B) and (D) and ended up choosing (B). Could someone please give me an example of a counterexample so I can see the difference between that and alternative explanation? I ended up choosing (B) because I thought (D) was too strong. After all the editorial does say that the causal argument may not be true.

Thanks.

[noah]

This is an interesting question. The editorial is undermining this argument: people volunteer less because the government is providing those services.

The counter argument is that it may actually be that the government is providing those services because people volunteer less.

This is pointing out that the direction of causation could be reversed. That's an alternate explanation, as (D) notes. This isn't a very strong answer choice - an "alternate explanation" is relevant to something that "may" be the real relationship.

(A) is incorrect because the Editorial does suggest a possible causation.

(B) is tempting, but a counterexample to the correlation would be something like "In Riverdale, there are fewer volunteers, but the government has not stepped in at all, in fact the government is providing fewer services!"

Furthermore, (B) suggests that the Editorial gives a counterexample to the correlation, but the Editorial is undermining a certain direction of causation.

(C) is too broad (and thus out of scope).

(E) is off topic - there's no suggestion that governments MUST do anything.

Does that clear it up?

P.S. I added the first few words of the question - please do that going forward, it makes it easier for future users to find the question they're looking for. Thanks.

[griffin.811]

Like the OP I too had this down to B and D, ultimately siding with B more so because I thought D was wrong than anything.

based on Noah's explanation, am I correct in saying that B is incorrect because there isn't ANY example provided at all? Rather just an explanation?

[noah]

Like the OP I too had this down to B and D, ultimately siding with B more so because I thought D was wrong than anything.

based on Noah's explanation, am I correct in saying that B is incorrect because there isn't ANY example provided at all? Rather just an explanation?

Yes - and I went up and cleaned up my explanation a bit to point out another issue with (B).