Critical Reasoning — Assumptions Statement: “Only participative management can contain industrial indiscipline and ensure a quality of life for the worker.” Assumptions to evaluate: I. Quality of life in our industries is already better. II. Indiscipline leads to poor quality of life.
Verbal Reasoning
Statement and Assumption
Difficulty: Medium
Choose an option
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AOnly assumption I is implicit
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BOnly assumption II is implicit
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CEither I or II is implicit
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DNeither I nor II is implicit
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EBoth I and II are implicit
Answer
Correct Answer: Only assumption II is implicit
Explanation
Introduction / Context:This statement asserts a causal and exclusive claim: participative management is the only way to curb indiscipline and thereby ensure workers’ quality of life. To sustain this, the author must presuppose a link between indiscipline and quality of life, but not that current quality is already good.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- Claim: Participative management contains indiscipline and ensures quality of life.
- Assumption I: Current industrial quality of life is better (i.e., already good).
- Assumption II: Indiscipline harms quality of life; reducing it improves quality of life.
Concept / Approach:
- To say “contain indiscipline and ensure quality of life,” one must assume indiscipline affects quality of life.
- Nothing in the statement requires that present quality of life is already better; in fact, the prescription typically implies current issues.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Assumption II is necessary: without a causal link between indiscipline and poor quality of life, controlling indiscipline would not ensure quality of life.Assumption I is not necessary and likely false; the need for policy change suggests current quality is not adequate.Verification / Alternative check:
Eliminate II: The core claim loses its mechanism. Eliminate I: The claim still stands, perhaps even strengthened.Why Other Options Are Wrong:
I, Either, Neither, Both: These either import an unnecessary positive status quo or ignore the needed causal link.Common Pitfalls:
Confusing a proposed remedy with an assertion that things are already good.Final Answer:
Only assumption II is implicit