Logical Reasoning

PT155 · S4 · Q6 Critic: Linsey has been

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Critic: Linsey has been judged to be a bad songwriter simply because her lyrics typically are disjointed and subjective.

Opposing Idea

Linsey has been judged to be a bad songwriter simply because her lyrics typically are disjointed and subjective.

Conclusion

This judgment [that Linsey is a bad songwriter] is ill founded.

Evidence

The writings of many modern novelists typically are disjointed and subjective, and yet these novelists are widely held to be good writers.

Evaluate

The word "since" in the second sentence helps us see the structure of the argument. The statement that follows "since" is evidence. That evidence supports the conclusion which comes immediately before the word "since."

It's also helpful to notice that this argument follows a common form. It presents an idea in the first sentence. It then pivots to the conclusion, which refutes the idea in that first sentence.

Goal

A correct answer might state, We'll keep an eye open for answers that are worded differently but convey the same meaning.

6.

Which one of the following most accurately expresses the conclusion drawn in the critic's argument?

  1. Linsey is a good songwriter.

    Too Strong

    This is tempting! However, the conclusion doesn't state that Linsey is a good songwriter. Saying "this judgement is ill founded" doesn't mean that the opposite is true. Strictly speaking, "ill founded" means that whoever judges Linsey to be a bad songwriter hasn't arrived at that opinion in a logical way. At most, we can take this to mean that Linsey is not a bad songwriter. It doesn't mean that Linsey is a good songwriter. Linsey could be a songwriter of average or mediocre talent, but not necessarily "good."

    3% picked this

  2. Correct

    The view that Linsey is

    Why this is right

    "The judgement is ill founded" is a fancy way of saying that a claim is poorly supported. The support—that her lyrics are disjointed and subjective—doesn't support the claim that she's a bad songwriter.

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

    93% picked this

  3. The writings of many modern

    Premise

    This is evidence used to support the conclusion. It's not the conclusion.

    0% picked this

  4. Many modern novelists are widely

    Premise

    This is evidence used to support the conclusion. It's not the conclusion.

    0% picked this

  5. Linsey’s talent as a writer

    Bad Conclusion Match

    The conclusion itself doesn't compare Lindsey's writing talent to the talent of modern novelists. The critic states that the writing of modern novelists is similar to Lindsey's songwriting in a specific way: it's disjointed and subjective. The critic might believe that Linsey's talent is less than that of modern novelists, or equal to modern novelists, or even better. We don't know. The critic is only stating that Linseys disjointed and subjective lyrics aren't enough reason to judge her songwriting as "bad."

    3% picked this

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