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The economies of some industrialized countries face the prospect of large labor shortages in the decades ahead. Meanwhile, these countries will have a vast number of experienced and productive older workers who, as things stand, will be driven from the work force upon reaching the age of sixty-five by the widespread practice of requiring workers to retire at that age. Therefore, if the discriminatory practice of mandatory retirement at age sixty-five were eliminated, the labor shortages facing these economies would be averted. The argument assumes that (A) older workers have acquired skills that are extremely valuable and that their younger colleagues lack (B) workers in industrialized countries are often unprepared to face the economic consequences of enforced idleness (C) a large number of workers in some industrialized countries would continue working beyond the age of sixty-five if workers in those countries were allowed to do so (D) mandatory retirement at age sixty-five was first instituted when life expectancy was considerably lower than it is today (E) a substantial proportion of the population of officially retired workers is actually engaged in gainful employment

Short Answer

Expert verified
The argument assumes that many older workers would work past 65 if allowed.

Step by step solution

01

Understand the Argument Presented

The argument discusses the issue of labor shortages anticipated in some industrialized countries while experienced older workers are forced to retire at age sixty-five due to mandatory retirement practices. It concludes that by eliminating this mandatory retirement practice, the labor shortage problem could be resolved.
02

Identify the Assumption to Solve the Shortage

The argument hinges on the assumption that eliminating the mandatory retirement age would lead to these older workers continuing to work and thus, solving the labor shortage problem. This assumption needs to be explicitly considered to evaluate what the argument presumes.
03

Analyze Option C for Relevance

Option (C) suggests that a large number of workers in these countries would choose to work beyond the age of sixty-five if permitted. This aligns with the assumption necessary for the argument to address labor shortages by retaining older workers in the workforce.
04

Evaluate Other Options for Compatibility

Reviewing the other options: - Option (A) talks about skills but doesn't specifically address the choice to continue working. - Option (B) concerns economic readiness, not directly related to extending work. - Option (D) references historical context irrelevant to current willingness or necessity to work. - Option (E) discusses current activities post-retirement, without ensuring continued workforce participation at workplaces facing labor shortages.
05

Select the Correct Assumption that Supports the Argument

Based on the analysis, Option C addresses the key assumption that is necessary for the argument to hold true: the presence of a large number of older workers willing to work past the age of 65 if mandatory retirement were removed.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Labor Shortages
Labor shortages occur when there is a high demand for workers in an economy but a lack of people willing or able to fill those roles. This can have significant economic repercussions, as businesses may struggle to complete projects, meet consumer demand, or function efficiently. Labor shortages are usually highlighted when there is rapid economic growth that outpaces the available workforce.

Several factors contribute to labor shortages:
  • Demographic shifts, such as an aging population.
  • Lack of necessary skills among available workers.
  • Restrictive immigration policies that limit the workforce.
  • Economic conditions that deter people from choosing certain professions.
In the context of industrialized countries, labor shortages become a significant concern, as these economies rely heavily on a stable and skilled workforce to maintain their growth and productivity. Addressing labor shortages often involves policy changes, such as encouraging older workers to remain in the workforce longer by eliminating mandatory retirement practices.
Mandatory Retirement
Mandatory retirement is a policy or practice where employees are required to retire at a certain age, regardless of their willingness or ability to continue working. Typically set at age sixty-five, this practice can lead to the exclusion of experienced workers from the labor force.

Mandatory retirement is often justified by societal norms and workplace dynamics such as:
  • The belief that younger workers need opportunities to advance.
  • The assumption that older workers may be less productive.
  • Historical practices based on past life expectancies.
However, with increasing life expectancy and older people maintaining good health and productivity, the practice of mandatory retirement is outdated for many. Eliminating this rule could allow older workers to contribute longer to the economy, alleviating some labor shortages.
Industrialized Countries
Industrialized countries are nations with significant industrial capabilities, often characterized by advanced technological infrastructure and high levels of income per capita. These countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan, often face unique challenges related to labor markets.

Their economies are usually:
  • Highly dependent on skilled labor.
  • Subject to global competition.
  • Characterized by aging populations.
As industrialized countries experience demographic shifts, with a growing number of older individuals, the pressure to adapt labor policies—like reconsidering mandatory retirement—gains importance. Addressing these changes is crucial for maintaining economic growth and competitiveness on the global stage.
Older Workers
Older workers are individuals in the workforce who are approaching traditional retirement age, often considered to be around 65 years or older. This segment of the workforce brings a wealth of experience and institutional knowledge but is frequently overlooked due to age-related stereotypes.

The value of older workers includes:
  • Possession of critical, on-the-job skills developed over decades.
  • Inherent understanding of company culture and history.
  • Strong work ethic and reliability.
As the workforce ages, the opportunity to harness the potential of older workers becomes vital. Encouraging continued participation beyond traditional retirement can help mitigate labor shortages, especially in industries where experienced talent is crucial.
Assumptions in Arguments
Assumptions in arguments are unstated premises or ideas that an author believes to be true in order for the argument to hold. These assumptions are often critical to evaluate the soundness of an argument.

In the context of the exercise about mandatory retirement, one key assumption is that older workers would continue working if not forced to retire. Assuming this is crucial, as it links the removal of mandatory retirement with the potential solution to labor shortages.

Common characteristics of assumptions:
  • Often hidden or implicit components of reasoning.
  • Necessary for bridging a gap between premises and conclusion.
  • May reveal biases or oversights in the argument.
Recognizing and questioning assumptions can aid in thoroughly understanding and evaluating the strength of an argument, particularly in logical reasoning scenarios like those encountered on LSAT exams.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

A translation invariably reflects the writing style of the translator. Sometimes when a long document needs to be translated quickly, several translators are put to work on the job, each assigned to translate part of the document. In these cases, the result is usually a translation marked by different and often incompatible writing styles. Certain computer programs for language translation that work without the intervention of human translators can finish the job faster than human translators and produce a stylistically uniform translation with an 80 percent accuracy rate. Therefore, when a long document needs to be translated quickly, it is better to use a computer translation program than human translators. Which one of the following issues would be LEAST important to resolve in evaluating the argument? (A) whether the problem of stylistic variety in human translation could be solved by giving stylistic guidelines to human translators (B) whether numerical comparisons of the accuracy of translations can reasonably be made (C) whether computer translation programs, like human translators, each have their own distinct writing style (D) whether the computer translation contains errors of grammar and usage that drastically alter the meaning of the text (E) how the accuracy rate of computer translation programs compares with that of human translators in relation to the users' needs

Crimes in which handguns are used are more likely than other crimes to result in fatalities. However, the majority of crimes in which handguns are used do not result in fatalities. Therefore, there is no need to enact laws that address crimes involving handguns as distinct from other crimes. The pattern of flawed reasoning displayed in the argument above most closely resembles that in which one of the following? (A) Overweight people are at higher risk of developing heart disease than other people. However, more than half of all overweight people never develop heart disease. Hence it is unnecessary for physicians to be more careful to emphasize the danger of heart disease to their overweight patients than to their other patients. (B) Many people swim daily in order to stay physically fit. Yet people who swim daily increase their risk of developing ear infections. Hence people who want to remain in good health are better off not following fitness programs that include swimming daily. (C) Most physicians recommend a balanced diet for those who want to remain in good health. Yet many people find that nontraditional dietary regimens such as extended fasting do their health no serious harm. Therefore, there is no need for everyone to avoid nontraditional dietary regimens. (D) Foods rich in cholesterol and fat pose a serious health threat to most people. However, many people are reluctant to give up eating foods that they greatly enjoy. Therefore, people who refuse to give up rich foods need to spend more time exercising than do other people. (E) Many serious health problems are the result of dietary disorders. Yet these disorders are often brought about by psychological factors. Hence people suffering from serious health problems should undergo psychological evaluation.

A poor farmer was fond of telling his children: "In this world, you are either rich or poor, and you are either honest or dishonest. All poor farmers are honest. Therefore, all rich farmers are dishonest." The farmer's conclusion is properly drawn if the argument assumes that (A) every honest farmer is poor (B) every honest person is a farmer (C) everyone who is dishonest is a rich farmer (D) everyone who is poor is honest (E) every poor person is a farmer

When a study of aspirin's ability to prevent heart attacks in humans yielded positive results, researchers immediately submitted those results to a medical journal, which published them six weeks later. Had the results been published sooner, many of the heart attacks that occurred during the delay could have been prevented. The conclusion drawn above would be most undermined if it were true that (A) the medical journal's staff worked overtime in order to publish the study's results as soon as possible (B) studies of aspirin's usefulness in reducing heart attacks in laboratory animals remain inconclusive (C) people who take aspirin regularly suffer a higher-than-average incidence of stomach ulcers (D) the medical journal's official policy is to publish articles only after an extensive review process (E) a person's risk of suffering a heart attack drops only after that person has taken aspirin regularly for two years

Medical research findings are customarily not made public prior to their publication in a medical journal that has had them reviewed by a panel of experts in a process called peer review. It is claimed that this practice delays public access to potentially beneficial information that, in extreme instances, could save lives. Yet prepublication peer review is the only way to prevent erroneous and therefore potentially harmful information from reaching a public that is ill equipped to evaluate medical claims on its own. Therefore, waiting until a medical journal has published the research findings that have passed peer review is the price that must be paid to protect the public from making decisions based on possibly substandard research. The argument assumes that (A) unless medical research findings are brought to peer review by a medical journal, peer review will not occur (B) anyone who does not serve on a medical review panel does not have the necessary knowledge and expertise to evaluate medical research findings (C) the general public does not have access to the medical journals in which research findings are published (D) all medical research findings are subjected to prepublication peer review (E) peer review panels are sometimes subject to political and professional pressures that can make their judgments less than impartial

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