Logical Reasoning

PT16 · S3 · Q3 Bart: A mathematical problem that

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Bart: A mathematical problem that defied solution for hundreds of years has finally yielded to a supercomputer.

Conclusion (consequently)

The result is unacceptable.

rephrase: we can't accept the supercomputer's solution to the math problem.

Evidence

The process the supercomputer used is so complex that no one can fully comprehend it.

Goal

It seems like we're shopping for a Missing Link like, "If we can't fully comprehend the process it used, then we can't accept its solution to the problem.

3.

Bart’s argument requires which one of the following assumptions?

  1. The mathematical result in question

    Bad Evidence Match

    The argument wasn't saying that the solution is unacceptable simply because a supercomputer did it; it was more specifically "it's unacceptable because we can't fully comprehend the process the supercomputer used". The author might think that a result from a supercomputer can be acceptable, so long as we can understand the process it used.

    2% picked this

  2. Correct

    For the mathematical result in

    Why this is right

    This gives us the Missing Link in contrapositive form. We wanted, "if no one can comprehend the process, then result isn't acceptable". By contrapositive, "For the result to be acceptable, it's required that at least someone can comprehend the process". Required things always go on the right, so this answer is saying: Result acceptable → someone can fully comprehend process

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

    90% picked this

  3. To be acceptable, the mathematical

    Bad Evidence Match

    The argument wasn't saying that the solution is unacceptable because it hasn't been replicated on another supercomputer. They said it was it was unacceptable because we can't fully comprehend the process the supercomputer used. The author might think that a result from just one supercomputer can be acceptable, so long as we can understand the process it used.

    3% picked this

  4. Making the mathematical result in

    Too Strong (guarantee) / Negation (if anything)

    It's way too strong to say that any reduction in complexity guarantees that the solution would be accepted. Perhaps the current level of complexity is five million lines of code. If it were only four million lines of code, it would be less complex, but does that guarantee that now people could fully comprehend it? This answer is essentially trying to do an illegal negation of the argument core. The actual argument was sort of like Too complex to fully comprehend → Not Acceptable And this answer is saying, Less complex → Is Acceptable

    2% picked this

  5. The supercomputer cannot derive an

    Too Strong (cannot)

    This argument is only saying that in this case the result was unacceptable, because the process was so complex that no one can fully comprehend it. The author hasn't shut the door on the possibility that the supercomputer could use a different process that someone could fully comprehend, so it's still possible for the supercomputer to get an acceptable solution.

    2% picked this

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