Logical Reasoning

PT136 · S4 · Q6 Patricia: During Japan's Tokugawa

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Patricia: During Japan's Tokugawa period, martial arts experts known as ninjas were trained for the purposes of espionage and assassination.

Tamara's Conclusion

Most Japanese did fear ninjas.

Tamara's Evidence

Many wealthy Japanese had their houses constructed with extra-squeaky floors so that they had a better chance of hearing a ninja.

Evaluate / Goal

If P wants to defend her claim that "most Japanese didn't fear ninjas", what could she say in response?

The first thought that comes to my mind is,

6.

Of the following, which one, if true, is the strongest counter Patricia can make to Tamara's objection?

  1. Many poor Japanese during the

    Opposite

    Patricia wants to make the squeaky floor thing like an exception, not a trend.

    8% picked this

  2. As part of their secret

    No Impact

    This would only suggest that the wealthy people's ninja-trap wouldn't work. But it has nothing to do with whether most or not most Japanese feared ninjas.

    12% picked this

  3. Correct

    The wealthy made up a

    Why this is right

    This is getting at our, "I said most people, not wealthy people. They're the minority" objection.

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

    78% picked this

  4. The fighting prowess of ninjas

    Doesn't Counter Objection

    This somewhat helps P add to her narrative that nowadays we think about ninjas with respectful awe, but during the actual time period it wasn't such a mythic legend that everyone was afraid of. But this doesn't counter T's objection that "if most people weren't afraid, then why were they building special floors for the sake of hearing ninja footsteps?"

    2% picked this

  5. There were very few ninjas

    Out of Scope

    Out of Scope: other than the Tokugawa period This conversation is only about whether or not most Japanese feared ninjas during the Tokugawa period.

    0% picked this

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