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An amateur athletic team has the following requirement: "Each athlete who fails to return to his or her designated room prior to a designated time will be suspended for the next athletic event." The requirement was violated by the team's best athlete on the night before a prominent athletic event.
Assistant Coach A: The only reason to not suspend the athlete is if the athlete broke the requirement because of factors outside the athlete's control. Since that was not the reason, no exception should be made for this athlete.
Assistant Coach B: I know that we would normally punish the athlete with a suspension, but doing so in this case would harm the team. I think we should punish the athlete in another way that would not harm the team.
Select for Supports Assistant Coach A the principle that most strongly supports the reasoning expressed by Assistant Coach A, and select for Supports Assistant Coach B the principle that most strongly supports the reasoning expressed by Assistant Coach B. Make only two selections, one in each column.
Amateur athletic teams should not punish elite team members who break team requirements.
The punishment of a team member for breaking a team requirement should be based on the likely outcomes for the team rather than the punishment specified for breaking the requirement.
The punishment specified for breaking a team requirement should always be administered in order to ensure that all team members are treated equally.
If an athlete is reasonably able to fulfill a team requirement, then the punishment specified for breaking the requirement should be administered.
If a punishment of a team member specified by a team requirement would harm the team, then the team member should not be punished.
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
| "Each athlete who fails to return to his or her designated room prior to a designated time will be suspended for the next athletic event." |
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| "The requirement was violated by the team's best athlete on the night before a prominent athletic event." |
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| Coach A: "The only reason to not suspend the athlete is if the athlete broke the requirement because of factors outside the athlete's control. Since that was not the reason, no exception should be made." |
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| Coach B: "I know that we would normally punish the athlete with a suspension, but doing so in this case would harm the team. I think we should punish the athlete in another way." |
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Choice 1: "Amateur athletic teams should not punish elite team members who break team requirements."
Choice 2: "The punishment of a team member for breaking a team requirement should be based on the likely outcomes for the team rather than the punishment specified for breaking the requirement."
Choice 3: "The punishment specified for breaking a team requirement should always be administered in order to ensure that all team members are treated equally."
Choice 4: "If an athlete is reasonably able to fulfill a team requirement, then the punishment specified for breaking the requirement should be administered."
Choice 5: "If a punishment of a team member specified by a team requirement would harm the team, then the team member should not be punished."
For Coach A: Choice 4 - "If an athlete is reasonably able to fulfill a team requirement, then the punishment specified for breaking the requirement should be administered."
For Coach B: Choice 2 - "The punishment of a team member for breaking a team requirement should be based on the likely outcomes for the team rather than the punishment specified for breaking the requirement."
Choice 3 vs Choice 4 for Coach A: While Choice 3 about equal treatment seems to support Coach A, Choice 4 more precisely captures his specific reasoning about the athlete's ability to control the situation.
Choice 5 for Coach B: This might seem attractive because it mentions team harm, but Coach B still wants punishment - just a different kind. Choice 5 advocates for no punishment at all, which doesn't match Coach B's position.