PT152 S1 Q5 ExplanationMany fictional works have characters

Answer choices, explained

1. A

   Correct86% picked this

   A character is truly precognitive only if all of that character’s perceptions of future

   Why this is right

   Since this answer is conditional ("only if" = necessary), we can put it into conditional logic and ask ourselves whether it matches a move the author made. Truly precognitive ? all perceptions accurate Since the conclusion was "not truly precognitive", we should contrapose this answer. some perceptions ? not truly not accurate precognitive Does that match our author's logic? Yes, that's exactly the move she made from premise to conclusion. The art / skill in seeing this answer choice for what it is resides in knowing your conditional words (only if), knowing how to contrapose, and knowing that you always want conditional rules to match up Premise ? Conclusion.

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

   86%
2. B

   Too Strong: impossible1% picked this

   It is impossible for someone to perceive future events accurately with

   The author's argument is only about the characters in these fictional works. She doesn't take any stance on whether precognition is ever possible in real life.

   1%
3. C

   Out of Scope: do not specify8% picked this

   The plots of fictional works that portray characters as precognitive often do not specify whether the future events those

   The author didn't discuss any cases in which we never find out whether or not someone's predictions came to pass. Since the author never talked about this, she doesn't need to assume anything about it. Her argument is only concerned with cases in which we do find out whether future events predicted have come to pass (we find out they haven't past, calling into question that character's precognition skills).

   8%
4. D

   Too Strong/Specific: generally central3% picked this

   When fictional works portray characters as precognitive, those characters’ perceptions of future events are generally central to the

   It doesn't matter to the author's argument whether these "fake" clairvoyants are central characters or minor characters, whether their predictions are major events or minor events in the plot.

   3%
5. E

   Too Strong: no work ever1% picked this

   No work of fiction has portrayed a truly

   The author's conclusion is merely "the plots of these works often show characters who aren't truly precognitive". She doesn't have to assume 'truly precognitive' never happens.

   1%