Each question given below consists of a statement, followed by three or four arguments numbered I, II, III and IV. You have to decide which of the arguments is/are 'strong' arguments) and which is/are 'weak' arguments) and accordingly choose your answer from the alternatives given below each question.
26.
Statement: Should all the youngsters below 21 years of age be disallowed from going to a beer bar?
Arguments:
No. It is not correct to prevent matured youngsters above 18 years of age who can vote, from having fun.
Yes. The entry fee to such pubs should also be hiked.
No. There is no such curb in western countries.
Yes. This will help in preventing youngsters from getting into bad company and imbibing bad habits.
Clearly, our Constitution considers youngsters above 18 years of age, mature enough to exercise their decisive power in Government by voting. This implies that such individuals can also judge what is good or bad for them. Thus, argument I holds strong. However, at such places, youngsters may be lead astray by certain indecent guys and swayed from the right path into bad indulgences. So, IV also holds strong. Hiking the entry fees is no way to disallow them, and also the idea of imitating the western countries holds no relevance. So, neither II nor III holds strong.
Statement: Should the government ban all forms of protests including strikes and processions?
Arguments:
Yes. This is the only way to teach discipline to the employees.
No. Government cannot deprive its citizens of their basic rights.
Yes. This is the only way to ensure maximum productivity without disruption of work.
Clearly, strike is not a means of indiscipline but only a practice in which the workers exercise their fundamental right to voice their protest against the atrocities of the management. So, argument I is vague while II holds. Also, the option of resorting to strikes often aggravates petty issues and disrupts work for long periods, thus affecting productivity. So, III also holds strong.
Statement: Should children be prevented completely from watching television?
Arguments:
No. We get vital information regarding education through television.
Yes. It hampers the study of children.
Yes. Young children are misguided by certain programmes featuring sex and violence.
No. This is the only way to educate the masses.
Clearly, television offers various educational programmes which are of great practical value to the students. So, it serves as a means (but it is not the 'only' means) to educate the masses. Thus, I holds strong while IV does not. Besides, the demerits of watching television, mentioned in II and III, may be done away with by allowing children to watch selected programmes on television, according to a set schedule. So, neither II nor III holds strong.
Statement: Should mercy death be legalized, i.e., all those who are suffering from terminal diseases be allowed to end their lives if they so desire?
Arguments:
No. Nobody should be allowed to end his/her life at his/her will as this goes against the basic tenets of humanity.
Yes. Patients undergoing terrible suffering and having absolutely no chance of recovery should be liberated from suffering through mercy death.
No. Even mercy death is a sort of killing and killing can never be legalized.
Clearly, mercy death will serve as a liberation to those to whom living is more difficult and painful. But then, it is an inhuman act and does not appeal. So, both arguments II and III hold strong. Besides, it becomes our moral duty to encourage such people to live their lives to the fullest and support them through the crisis/and not demoralize them by allowing them to die if they wish to. Hence, argument I also holds strong.
Statement: Should seniority be the only criterion for the promotion?
Arguments:
No. It would be an injustice to those juniors who are more deserving and suitable for higher positions than their senior counterparts.
Yes. Otherwise senior employees do feel humiliated.
Yes. Senior employees are more experienced and must be rewarded for the same.
In an organization, what matters most is productivity and to ensure productivity, the organization needs to have effective managers and innovative, devoted and hard-working employees. Thus, the capability of the individual should be the only criterion for promotion. So, only argument I holds strong, while II and III do not.
