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Question: Given the premises, discuss whether the conclusion of each argument that follows is (a) true beyond a reason!?
Since the graduates of Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and other Ivy League
schools generally score higher on the Graduate Record Examination than
students from Central State, it follows that the Ivy League schools do
more toward educating their students than Central State does!.Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Premise 1!. the graduates of Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and other Ivy League schools generally score higher on the Graduate Record Examination

Premise 2!. Central State students score lower than Ivy League students!.

Conclusion!. Ivy League schools do more toward educating their students than Central State does!.

Yes, the conclusion is true beyond reason because both premises are sound and give way to the conclusion!. It's like saying "Dogs have four legs, Tables have four legs, Everything with four legs is an animal, therefore, tables are animals" This is completely true beyond reason accoring to the conclusion!."Www@QuestionHome@Com

Well, the test for the validity of an argument is: could the premises be true and the conclusion false!?
In this case the answer is yes!. It is possible that the ivy league students do better just because they may be brighter - not because they get a better education!. Therefore the argument is invalid!.
The only way it could be made valid is to insert the extra premise that only schools which provide a better education produce students with higher GRE scores!.Www@QuestionHome@Com