Logical Reasoning

PT140 · S3 · Q14 Some theorists argue that literary

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Some theorists argue that literary critics should strive to be value-neutral in their literary criticism.

Conclusion

Some theorists are mistaken about what is an appropriate goal for literary criticism. (i.e. theorists should not strive to be value-neutral in their literary criticism)

Evidence

Literary criticism cannot be completely value-neutral.

Evaluate / Goal

This argument is pretty sparse ... the author is just saying . So that's what we're looking for.

The most important skills here are making sure when we hear a conclusion like "they're mistaken / they're wrong", we don't leave it like that. We actually say the specific counter-claim that the author is making by saying that they're wrong.

The other big skill is seeing the "But" as the author's pivot that introduces her Premise / Conclusion combo.

14.

The argument's conclusion follows logically if which one of the following is assumed?

  1. Any critic who is able

    Bad Conclusion Match

    This is a rule that allows us to conclude that one should strive to produce value-neutral criticism. We're trying to find an answer that proves the author's conclusion, that critics should not strive to produce value-neutral criticism.

    10% picked this

  2. Correct

    If it is impossible to

    Why this is right

    This just provides a conditional rule that goes from the author's premise to the author's conclusion. Premise Conclusion lit critics cannot lit critics should not be completely strive to be value-neutral value-neutral

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

    60% picked this

  3. Critics are more likely to

    Unrelated to Goal

    If an answer doesn't give us a way to prove the wording "should not strive to be value-neutral" then it's worthless to us. This answer doesn't give us any sort of black-and-white rule and doesn't discuss value-neutral criticism at all.

    5% picked this

  4. The less readers understand the

    Unrelated to Goal

    This answer is about readers. We're looking for a rule that allows us to prove that critics "should not strive to be value-neutral".

    10% picked this

  5. Critics who try to avoid

    Unrelated to Goal

    This is another wishy-washy comparison. We're doing Sufficient Assumption. We need a rule with zero exceptions that forces the language of "should not strive to be value-neutral". Anything less than that will mean we haven't achieved the goal of deriving the conclusion.

    14% picked this

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