Logical Reasoning

PT153 · S2 · Q22 Critic: Almost all of the paintings

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Critic: Almost all of the paintings from our cityʼs art movement share two characteristics: bold brushwork and a sharp contrast of light and shadow.

Conclusion

Blue Irises can't be considered part of the city's art movement.

Evidence

Almost all the paintings in the city's art movement have two qualities: bold brushwork and contrast of light/shadow.

Blue Irises doesn't exhibit a sharp contrast of light and shadow, and the only exceptions to the rule above are abstract/nonrepresentational paintings.

Evaluate

Blue Irises doesn't have one of the two qualities true of almost all paintings in the movement. Could it be one of the exceptional cases? Only abstract paintings are exceptional cases.

Since our author is saying , what is she assuming?

She'd be assuming that Blue Irises is not abstract/nonrepresentational. That's how she's mentally ruling out the possibility that Blue Irises is one of those atypical painting in the movement that doesn't have both characteristics.

Goal

Our objection is,

Our author is assuming .

22.

Which one of the following is an assumption required by the critic's argument?

  1. In spite of its title,

    Opposite

    First off, "in spite of its title" is hilarious. What was the test writer even thinking adding that sly aside? The author is assuming that Blue Irises is not nonrepresentational / abstract.

    15% picked this

  2. Blue Irises does not depict

    Too Strong: any at all

    The author has already done her job establishing that Blue Irises doesn't have sharp contrast between light and shadow. That's the characteristic relevant to the argument. From there, it's immaterial whether Blue Irises uses some shadow, no shadow, lots of shadow. All of those are compatible with lacking a sharp contrast.

    4% picked this

  3. Correct

    Blue Irises is not an

    Why this is right

    If we negate this, we get an objection, which means (per the Negation Test), that this is a correct answer. If Blue Irises is an abstract painting, then it might be considered part of the city's art movement. Blue Irises doesn't have both of the customary traits of the movement, but some abstract paintings are in the movement, even though they don't have both of those typical traits. If Blue Irises is an abstract painting then it might be one of those abstract painting in the movement.

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

    70% picked this

  4. All of the nonrepresentational paintings

    Too Strong: All / ever

    Talking about "a movement" implies a trend, a phenomenon that has not always existed. The author's argument is only about whether or not a certain painting is or isn't in this movement. She doesn't need to assume anything about other paintings, nor other time periods extending infinitely back in time.

    3% picked this

  5. All of the paintings from

    Too Strong: All

    The author is saying that "almost all" the paintings in the movement have sharp contrast. This is accusing her of thinking that "every painting in the city that has sharp contrast is part of the movement.

    8% picked this

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