Q6 - When machines invented

by **WaltGrace1983** Mon Feb 03, 2014 2:46 pm

Anyone else think that this one was really strange and weirdly hard? Just me? Okay.

Clock gave us increased productivity
+
Clock restricted our choice (to not live by the clock)
â†’
Machines alter the range of choice open to us

So here is the argument and the argument gives us one example, the invention of the clock. It is saying, on one hand (no pun intended), it has done a lot of good but, on the other hand, it has restricted our choice. Now the only thing that really comes to mind here is that how does "increased productivity" link up to the idea of "choice?" Well maybe "increased productivity" gives us more choices. Maybe the argument is saying that the clock has both restricted and opened up choice.

(B), (C), and (E) just examine a premise but don't really link them.

(B) just tries to evaluate premise 2 by saying that we shouldn't make what is espoused by premise 2 a reality. However, this doesn't really do anything to link the premise to the conclusion.
(C) can be interpreted as out of scope. So what if we know that some machines and technologies bring no improvement? Does this alter the range of choice? This is something that we cannot answer and thus it cannot be correct.
(E) just boosts the first premise a bit by saying that the clock is not the only invention that synchronizes our life.

Now we have (A) and (D) left

(D) is ultimately wrong because it also doesn't attack the gap between the premise and the conclusion. The conclusion makes an objective statement - "these machines alter the range of choice open" - while (D) makes a subjective statement, that one benefit was "not worth" a seemingly bad consequence. Yet what does this have to do with choice?! Nothing and hence it is wrong.

(A) is the last man standing and is the most weirdly attractive answer choice there is - at least in my opinion. So the answer choice is saying that "new machines" can "enslave" and "liberate" us. AKA, new machines can restrict and open up our ability to choose. When taken as truth, the conclusion follows and the premises are strengthened.