Question

Which of the following is an assumption required by this argument?

• A. At least some participants who said they had acted fairly in choosing the familiar task would have said that it was unfair for someone else to do so.
• B. The most moral choice for the people would have been to have the computer assign the two tasks randomly.
• C. There were at least some persons who were assigned to do the unfamiliar task and felt that the assignment was unfair.
• D. On average, the people to whom the scenario was described were more accurate in their moral judgments than the other volunteers were.
• E. At least some people given the choice between assigning the tasks themselves and having the computer assign them felt that they had made the only fair choice available to them.

Hint:

In arguments that involve fairness and morality, look for the assumptions that explain why people might justify their choices in a way that conflicts with how they perceive others' choices.

Answer 1

Answer: (E)

Step 1: Understand the argument.
The argument suggests that most people feel that choosing the simple task for themselves is unfair when the scenario is described to others. This implies that people apply weaker moral standards to themselves than to others. The assumption needed here is that some people felt they had no other option but to choose the simple task, making the choice seem fair to them.
Step 2: Analysis of options.
- (A) At least some participants who said they had acted fairly in choosing the familiar task would have said that it was unfair for someone else to do so: This is not necessary for the argument, as it focuses on the fairness of the task assignment rather than the people’s justification of their own choice.
- (B) The most moral choice for the people would have been to have the computer assign the two tasks randomly: This does not directly relate to the assumption needed for the argument, which is focused on people's perceptions of fairness when they are given the option to choose.
- (C) There were at least some persons who were assigned to do the unfamiliar task and felt that the assignment was unfair: This is a valid observation, but it doesn’t directly support the assumption that people feel they had made the only fair choice available to them.
- (D) On average, the people to whom the scenario was described were more accurate in their moral judgments than the other volunteers were: This is irrelevant to the core assumption, which focuses on people's moral choices in the given scenario.
- (E) At least some people given the choice between assigning the tasks themselves and having the computer assign them felt that they had made the only fair choice available to them: Correct. This assumption is necessary to justify why people felt that choosing the simple task for themselves was fair, even though they later viewed it as unfair when applied to others.
Step 3: Conclusion.
The correct answer is (E), as it provides the essential assumption that allows the argument to hold: people felt their choice was the fairest possible one given the scenario.