GMAT Critical Reasoning - Professor A: We Must make a Strong Moral Statement Against Country X’s Policies

Question: Professor A: We must make a strong moral statement against Country X’s policies. Only total divestment—the sale of all stock in companies that have factories or business offices in X—can do this. Therefore, the university should divest totally.

Professor B: Our aim should be to encourage X to change its policies. Partial divestment is the best way to achieve this aim. Therefore, the university should sell its stock only in companies that either sell goods to X’s government, or do the majority of their business in X, or treat their workers in X unfairly.

Q) Professor A’s and Professor B’s arguments differ in which of the following ways?

(A) They state the same goal but propose different ways of achieving it.
(B) They state different goals but propose the same way of achieving them.
(C) They state different goals and propose different ways of achieving them.
(D) They disagree about whether the university should sell any stock at all.
(E) They disagree about whether X’s policies are objectionable.

“Professor A: We must make a strong moral statement against Country X’s policies” – is a GMAT Critical question. To answer the question, a candidate can by either finding a piece of evidence that would weaken the argument or logical flaws in the argument. GMAT critical reasoning tests the logical and analytical skills of the candidates. This topic requires candidates to find the argument's strengths and weaknesses or the logical flaw in the argument. The GMAT CR section contains 10 -13 GMAT critical reasoning questions out of 36 GMAT verbal questions.

Answer: C
Explanation: GMAT critical reasoning is a section whose primary motive is to test the reasoning skills of the candidate along with logical and analytical thinking abilities. The candidate has to find the correct option by finding the logically appropriate answer.

Let us view the option one by one to find out the correct choice.

Professor A wants to depart from national policy. His intention is to oppose it without necessarily changing it.

For instance, let's say a friend wants to use my money to purchase chocolate for $40. But I don't want to buy it since it's expensive. This suggests that I disagree with his policy of purchasing the chocolate, not that I want to alter his decision (policy), but rather that I don't want to purchase the chocolate myself.

Professor B wants to genuinely try to persuade nation X to alter its policies. His objective is to force the nation to alter its policies (NOTE: He makes no mention of whether he is truly opposed to the country in any way; he merely wants to see that they do so).

Referring back to the previous scenario, if I were professor B, I might genuinely persuade my friend to reconsider purchasing the chocolate by, say, persuading him not to.

The following is clear from a goal and means analysis of professors A and B's statements: -

Goal (by A): Total rejection in the international arena as a result of Country X's bad policies.

translates to: complete sale of shares in corporations with operations in X.

Goal (by B): Convince X to adjust its policies so that they are in line with the intended outcomes (however, specifically not highlighted in the stimulus)

Means (for B): Partially selling stock in companies that supply X with goods or treat employees unfairly.

It clearly demonstrates DIFFERENT GOALS and DIFFERENT MEANS to attain each goal.

It is clear that C is the best option.

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