Logical Reasoning

PT146 · S1 · Q19 Science teacher: An abstract knowledge

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Science teacher: An abstract knowledge of science is very seldom useful for the decisions that adults typically make in their daily lives.

Conclusion (therefore)

Secondary school science courses should teach students to evaluate science-based arguments regarding practical issues (instead of, or in addition to abstract science).

Evidence

Secondary schools should be teaching skills that are useful for the decisions that adults typically make in their daily lives.

Abstract science doesn't do that.

Evaluate

There's a big New Concept in the Conclusion: teaching students to evaluate science-based arguments regarding practical issues.

Usually when the conclusion introduces a brand new concept, we should be able to articulate what the author is assuming about this new idea.

Consider the assumption in this argument: Joe isn't funny. But the guy that Lisa dates should be funny. Therefore, Lisa should date Fernando, instead of or perhaps in addition to Joe.

What are we assuming about Fernando? Why are we suggesting that Lisa date him?

We're assuming that Fernando is funny.

Similarly, in this argument, we heard: Abstract science isn't useful to adults. But what we teach should be useful. Therefore, we should teach students to evaluate science-based arguments regarding practical issues.

What are we assuming about "learning to evaluate science-based arguments regarding practical issues"?

Goal

We're assuming that "Learning to evaluate science-based arguments regarding practical issues" is "useful for adults".

19.

Which one of the following is an assumption the science teacher's argument requires?

  1. Secondary schools should teach only

    Too Strong: only / most useful Contradicted

    Not only does extreme language like "only those skills / most useful" scare us on Necessary Assumption, but this is even contradicted in the conclusion. The conclusion is saying that schools can still teach abstract science, even though the argument established that abstract science is not most useful.

    5% picked this

  2. Teaching secondary school students the

    Trap

    Opposite, if anything Too Strong: at least as important The author's conclusion is allowing for the possibility of still teaching some abstract science, but it also suggests the possibility that secondary schools teach no abstract science. So there's no reason we would say the author thinks that teaching abstract science is at least as important as teaching them to evaluate science-based arguments. If I say, "We should do X instead of Y, or in addition to Y", then we're doing X either way. Y, on the other hand, is optional. So it seems like X is more important than Y.

    3% picked this

  3. Adults who have an abstract

    Too Strong: no better

    The author says that abstract science knowledge is very seldom useful for adults, but she doesn't say that it's never useful. So she might think that adults with an abstract knowledge of science could be somewhat better at evaluating science-based arguments than are people with no knowledge of science at all. Negating this answer and saying that, "adults with an abstract knowledge of science are better at evaluating science-based arguments than are adults with no knowledge of science at all" isn't really damaging to the argument.

    6% picked this

  4. No secondary school science courses

    Too Strong: no courses

    The author is recommending that secondary schools do X. That doesn't mean she's assuming that no secondary schools currently do X.

    6% picked this

  5. Correct

    The ability to evaluate science-based

    Why this is right

    This supplies the Missing Link we anticipated. It connects the New Concept in the Conclusion to the Evidence. The author is saying that "We should teach something useful. Abstract knowledge isn't useful, so instead we should do X". That is Assuming a Difference. That's assuming that X is useful. In this case, X is "evaluating science-based arguments regarding practical issues". If we negated this answer and said that the ability to evaluate science-based arguments is never useful in making typical adult decisions, then we would make the author's recommendation sound totally stupid.

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

    80% picked this

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