Multiple choice

The existence of our state's inefficient and wasteful automobile accident liability system can be easily explained. As long as most of our legislators are lawyers, the system will never be reformed, because litigation creates more work for lawyers. The argument above rests on the assumption that

  1. given the opportunity, most lawyers would want to be members of the state legislature

  2. legislation to reform the state's automobile accident liability system could be introduced by a legislator who is not a lawyer

  3. state laws set minimum fees that attorneys are permitted to charge in cases arising from automobile accidents

  4. the state's automobile accident liability system encourages litigation

  5. state laws governing the ownership and operation of motor vehicles encourage unsafe driving practices
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

(4) The argument above has the structure: Litigation creates work for lawyers; therefore, these laws will not be reformed. The speaker apparently believes, though he does not say so explicitly, that the existing system of laws encourages litigation. Thus, (4) highlights a suppressed premise of the argument.

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