Logical Reasoning

PT150 · S3 · Q14 Most popular historical films

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Most popular historical films are not documentaries; they are dramatic presentations of historical events.

Conclusion (consequently)

Uninformed viewers of dramatic historical films should not regard them as accurate portrayals of historical events.

Evidence

Most popular historical films are dramatic presentations of historical events, not documentaries. Such presentations cannot present the evidence for the accuracy of what they portray.

Evaluate

The conclusion cares about whether or not we "should regard X as an accurate portrayal". The reason the author doesn't think we should consider historical films accurate portrayals is that they are not documentaries, they are dramatic presentations, and they cannot present the evidence for the accuracy of what they portray.

Goal

The correct answer can potentially use any of the things we know about historical films and then help us link that to "should not regard as accurate".

- If it's not a documentary, should not regard as accurate portrayal - If it's a dramatic presentation of historical events, should not regard as accurate portrayal - If the evidence for accuracy can't be presented, should not regard as accurate portrayal

14.

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

  1. Writers of historical dramas should

    Bad Conclusion Match

    We're looking for a principle that instructs viewers on what they should / should not regard as an accurate portrayal. This principle is about what writers should do, not about how viewers should regard a portrayal.

    2% picked this

  2. Historical documentaries should be careful

    Bad Conclusion Match

    We're looking for a principle that instructs viewers on what they should / should not regard as an accurate portrayal. This principle is about what documentaries should be careful about presenting, not about how viewers should regard a portrayal.

    5% picked this

  3. Dramatic presentations of historical events

    Bad Conclusion Match

    We're looking for a principle that instructs viewers on what they should / should not regard as an accurate portrayal. This principle tells us when a dramatic presentation would be better / worse suited for educational purposes. It doesn't have any language about viewers or about whether or not a portrayal should be regarded as accurate.

    11% picked this

  4. Dramatic presentations of historical events

    Bad Conclusion Match

    We're looking for a principle that instructs viewers on what they should / should not regard as an accurate portrayal. This principle is about what dramatic presentations of historical events should / should not do.

    3% picked this

  5. Correct

    One should never regard a

    Why this is right

    This is actually the only answer about viewers, and the only answer using conclusion language like whether or not someone "should regard X as accurate". So if we focused on the conclusion, as we should on Strengthen + Principle (and Sufficient Assumption), we have only one answer to consider. Unless = "if not" If you have not considered then you should the evidence on which a ? not regard it as historical account is based accurate We're trying to support a conclusion that we shouldn't regard historical films as accurate. When it comes to historical films, is the trigger applicable? When we watch a historical film, have we considered the evidence on which this historical account is based? No we haven't, since we were told that these presentations cannot present the evidence for the accuracy of what they portray. Since the film can't present the evidence, we viewers have not considered the evidence, and thus according to this rule we should not regard this historical film to be accurate.

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

    79% picked this

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