Logical Reasoning

PT112 · S1 · Q8 It has been claimed that

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It has been claimed that television networks should provide equal time for the presentation of opposing views whenever a television program concerns scientific issues—such as those raised by the claims of environmentalists—about which people disagree.

Conclusion

A program concerning scientific issues gives rise to no equal-time obligation.

Evidence

Equal-time obligations arise for programs on social issues because (1) social issues almost always have important political implications, and (2) social issues seldom can be definitely settled on the basis of available evidence.

Evaluate

This is a weird argument, where the author is trying to explain why we DON'T need equal time for science stuff based on why we DO need equal time for social stuff.

If I said, , that would imply a difference: it implies that I don't have a crush on your sister.

We're arguing that these two situations are different because there's some underlying difference that matters.

So this author is also Assuming a Difference, thinking that the reasons we need equal time for social issues don't apply to science issues.

Goal

Let's look for an answer that helps us argue that we DO need an equal time obligation for science issues.

It'll probably attack the assumed differences, so it might say that science issues ALSO have important political implications or that science issues ALSO can rarely be settled on the basis of available evidence.

8.

Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?

  1. No scientific issues raised by

    Strengthens

    We wanted to hear that scientific issues ALSO have important political implications and thus they should also have an equal time requirement. This says the opposite, which strengthens the argument. It provides one of the author's assumed differences.

    5% picked this

  2. There are often more than

    No Impact

    We don't know if this "often" overlaps with scientific issues. If we were told that scientific issues can rarely be settled on the basis of available evidence that would weaken, but this isn't that specific.

    6% picked this

  3. Some social issues could be

    No Impact

    This is incredibly weak, "at least one social issue". It's also off topic, since we need to hear about scientific issues, since this argument is about evaluating whether scientific issues should have an equal time obligation.

    8% picked this

  4. Correct

    Many scientific issues have important

    Why this is right

    Nice! This spells out both of the assumed differences and tells the author that he's wrong on both counts. The author said the equal-time obligation arises from two features: (1) important political implications and (2) inability to be settled by available evidence. The author assumed scientific issues lacked these. (D) makes it seem like scientific issues would have just as much reason to have an equal time obligation as social issues do.

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

    78% picked this

  5. Some television networks refuse to

    No Impact

    This is very weak wording and doesn't deal specifically with scientific issues. Also, if a network refuses to broadcast an issue, then it's irrelevant whether we have an equal time obligation. Both sides are getting zero time. The conversation we're having is only about programs that DO cover contentious issues. The ones that don't cover them are irrelevant.

    3% picked this

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