Logical Reasoning

PT143 · S1 · Q2 Popular science publications that explain

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Popular science publications that explain new developments in science face a dilemma.

Conclusion (therefore)

Popular science mags that explain new science stuff should give up trying to explain new developments to a wide audience.

Evidence

They have a choice: 1. use somewhat inaccurate metaphorical writing, and appeal to a wide audience

2. use accurate but more rigorous writing, and lose the wide audience.

The author, of course, votes for door #2. She must care more about accuracy than about reaching a wide audience.

Goal

We might see a Weighing Tradeoffs style answer: does the author think we should prioritize reaching a wide audience or prioritize conveying the science accurately?

She cares more about conveying the science accurately.

Or we might see a typical conditional answer: fails to convey the → should give up trying science accurately to do it

2.

Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the reasoning in the argument?

  1. Science publications should balance the

    Opposite (if anything)

    We need an answer that says we should go towards the rigorous, accurate direction and away from the metaphorical, inaccurate direction. So "balancing them" feels almost like the opposite of what we want.

    1% picked this

  2. The more recent a scientific

    No Distinction

    We need an answer that says we should go towards the rigorous, accurate direction and away from the metaphorical, inaccurate direction. This doesn't offer us any distinction between those two options. It just says "newer = harder". We know. That was basically a background premise. But how should we deal with these harder / newer developments? The rigorous/accurate way or the metaphorical/popular way?

    4% picked this

  3. Correct

    In reporting scientific developments, it

    Why this is right

    We need an answer that says we should go towards the rigorous, accurate direction and away from the metaphorical, inaccurate direction. This tips the scales in that direction. The author was Weighing Tradeoffs and her conclusion indicates that she would rather avoid being inaccurate than seek a wide audience.

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

    90% picked this

  4. In reporting scientific developments, it

    Opposite

    We need an answer that says we should go towards the rigorous, accurate direction and away from the metaphorical, inaccurate direction. This is saying we should go towards the metaphorical direction that reaches a wide audience.

    4% picked this

  5. Even the most rigorous explanations

    Too Weak

    Too Weak: even the most have some Opposite (if anything) This answer says that for at least one science concept, even your most rigorous explanation will still have some metaphor. (That's an incredibly weak idea, which means it's unlikely to be correct on any Truth Platter -- if true / if valid / if assumed -- type question.) Sounds like it's saying that we'll never 100% get rid of metaphors. So are you suggesting we keep writing metaphorically? Because the author is doing the opposite. She's suggesting that we write more rigorously and stop throwing in all those extra metaphors trying to please a wide audience. This answer doesn't nudge us at all in that direction.

    0% picked this

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