The postmodern view involves the

Answer choices

1. A

   Correct83% picked this

   Infers that something is the case because it is believed to

   Why this is right

   It's one of the Semi-Famous flaws to go from Opinion to Fact. That's what seems to happen here. Postmodernists belief that there are no universal truths. Our belief in order has been replaced by a belief in irregularity and chaos. Then the author goes from talking about those beliefs to concluding, "The world is full of irregularity and there are no universal truths". Since this answer is structured, infers that X because Y we want to check whether X matches the conclusion and Y matches the evidence. Is the conclusion saying that "something is the case"? Yes, it says it is the case that we inhabit a world full of irregularity and lacking any universal truths. Is the evidence saying that "people believe it to be the case that the world is full of irregularity and lacks universal truths"? Yes.

   Skill tested: Flaw · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

   83%
2. B

   Not Equivocation4% picked this

   Uses the term “universal”

   This answer alludes to the famous flaw Equivocation, in which the same word/concept is used two different times to mean two very different things. This answer is almost always wrong. The word "universal" was used consistently to mean, "applying in all cases".

   4%
3. C

   Not Inappropriate Appeal2% picked this

   Relies on the use of emotional terms to bolster

   This answer alludes to the famous flaw Inappropriate Appeal to Emotion, in which the argument tries to make its case not with logic but with pity / sympathy / fear. This answer is almost always wrong. There aren't any emotional terms in this argument.

   2%
4. D

   Not Equivocation4% picked this

   Uses the term “order”

   This answer also alludes to the famous flaw Equivocation, which is almost always wrong. The word "order" was used consistently to mean, "conforming to regular patterns or rules". Order vs. disorder Patterns vs. chaos Regularity vs. irregularity It's speaking about order in that context.

   4%
5. E

   Unrelated to Conclusion7% picked this

   Fails to cite examples of modern theories that purport to embody

   This would be complaining about a premise. One of the premises is suggesting that grand theories of the modern era believed in some universal truths (We know that because the 3rd sentence talks about how we used to believe in order but no longer do, so the 2nd sentence must have been covering how we used to believe in the existence of universal truths, but no longer do). We can definitely be annoyed at the fact that the author failed to make clear that "grand theories" was a reference to when we used to believe in universal truths. But our complaint would simply be that. We wouldn't start complaining, "Oh, yeah? We don't believe you. List out some examples of modern theories that believed in universal truths." We accept their premises. We don't ask for the receipts. This would have nothing to do with objecting to the conclusion, which is based on postmodern views, not on grand theories.

   7%