Question

The legislature of the Philippines voted recently to abolish the death penalty. In contrast, the
death penalty remains legal in the United States. The difference in the legality of capital
punishment demonstrates that the majority of American citizens believe in the death penalty,
while the majority of Filipino citizens do not.

Which of the following is an assumption upon which the above argument depends?

• A. There are more murders per year in the United States than in the Philippines.
• B. The legal status of capital punishment in the United States and the Philippines aligns with how the majority of citizens in those respective countries view the death penalty.
• C. There are not strong voices opposing the death penalty in the United States.
• D. Most American citizens who believe in the death penalty think that it acts as a deterrent for potential criminals, while most Filipino citizens do not.
• E. The legal standard used to determine whether a criminal should be sentenced to the death penalty in the United States is similar to the legal standard used in the Philippines before capital punishment was abolished there.

Answer 1

The correct option is B The legal status of capital punishment in the United States and the Philippines aligns with how the majority of citizens in those respective countries view the death penalty.

(B) CORRECT. It is possible that the legal status of capital punishment in the United States and the Philippines does NOT align with how the majority of citizens in those countries view the death penalty. For example, it may be that the governing bodies of one or both countries are out of touch with the views of the populace. The argument assumes that this is NOT the case.