Will Knicks make the playoffs this year? - OG CR #29

[rajkapoor]

This made-up argument simulates in structure with an OG problem(CR 44) that I could not answer correctly.

Last year , Knicks had a record number of losses and could not make the playoffs.Will Knicks make the playoff this year? To win games in basketball , you need to have a good defence and to make playoffs , you must be in top 8 ranked teams in your division.Knicks acquired strong defense player this year and its defence is among the best in the league. Also,Knicks are currently ranked number 3 in terms of wins and there are some games left to be played, and as such, Knicks ranking will not go down below 8.Clearly,it can be concluded that Knicks will win enough games and make the playoffs.

What roles do the bold-face play in the argument ?
a) The first is a prediciton that , if accurate, would provide support for the main conclusion of the arguement; the second is the conclusion.
b) the first is the prediction that , if accurate, would provide support, for the main conclusion; the second is the conclusion drawn in order to support that main conclusion.

I had problem correctly identifying the role of the question "will Knicks make the playoffs?" asked in the argument.
Since it sounded like a debatable situation , I thought that the 'question' was the main conclusion, while the last bold-statement was the sub-conclusion.

I was wrong.

What is the role of the question in the argument ?

[RonPurewal]

I thought that the 'question' was the main conclusion, while the last bold-statement was the sub-conclusion.

hmm?

a question can't be the conclusion of anything... because it's a question!
a conclusion has to be the STATEMENT of some claim.

on the other hand, if the argument starts by asking some question, then that right there is some REALLY strong evidence that, whatever the answer to that question is, that answer will be the conclusion.

so the second boldface - which is the DIRECT ANSWER to the question posed near the beginning - is the conclusion to the argument.

--

also, remember that, if you pick the second answer choice, then you MUST be able to pass the THEREFORE TEST.
i.e., if you say that conclusion X is drawn in order to support conclusion Y, then
X; therefore, Y
must be logical.

according to the second answer choice, you MUST be able to set something up that looks like this:
Knicks will win enough games and make the playoffs
THEREFORE
________________
(where the blank is whatever you think is the main conclusion)
that doesn't work here.