- Fri Dec 20, 2019 11:43 am
#72686
Complete Question Explanation
Assumption, SN. The correct answer choice is (C).
There's a lot going on in this stimulus! The conclusion is the first sentence, which is that still photography cannot enable us to understand the world. The author then takes us through a fairly convoluted discussion of where understanding begins and the importance of focusing on function rather than images (and that discussion can be dissected with conditional diagrams, as James does later in this thread). In the final phrase of the stimulus, though, we are saved from all that confusion by the introduction of a very simple conditional statement: "only that which narrates can enable us to understand." Thanks to this claim, we can attack this argument with a simple conditional diagram:
Premise: EU (enable us to understand)
N (narrates)
Conclusion: SP (still photography) EU
In order to arrive at a conclusion that the sufficient condition (EU) cannot occur, the author must have assumed the contrapositive, which means that the necessary condition (narrates) does not occur. Using a diagram, the author assumed this:
SP N
That's our prephrase, and we take that into sorting the answers into losers and contenders.
Answer choice (A): This answer does not trigger the contrapositive as it does nothing to deal with how photography relates to narration, but only what photographers are attempting to accomplish.
Answer choice (B): No connection is made in this answer between photography and narration.
Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer choice. This is a perfect match for our prephrase. Winner!
Answer choice (D): No mention of photography or narration makes this answer a certain loser. Focus on the conclusion - we must discuss still photography in the correct answer!
Answer choice (E): This answer certainly includes the idea of still photography, which after all does produce images, but once again there is no connection made to the idea of narration, and so it too is a loser.
For a more detailed look at how the other claims in the stimulus can be handled conditionally, check out James' post below. In the heat of the moment during the test, though, with the clock ticking, start with a simple approach and focus on the relationship between the conclusion and the most obvious conditional claim that shares something in common with it.
Assumption, SN. The correct answer choice is (C).
There's a lot going on in this stimulus! The conclusion is the first sentence, which is that still photography cannot enable us to understand the world. The author then takes us through a fairly convoluted discussion of where understanding begins and the importance of focusing on function rather than images (and that discussion can be dissected with conditional diagrams, as James does later in this thread). In the final phrase of the stimulus, though, we are saved from all that confusion by the introduction of a very simple conditional statement: "only that which narrates can enable us to understand." Thanks to this claim, we can attack this argument with a simple conditional diagram:
Premise: EU (enable us to understand)
N (narrates)Conclusion: SP (still photography)
EUIn order to arrive at a conclusion that the sufficient condition (EU) cannot occur, the author must have assumed the contrapositive, which means that the necessary condition (narrates) does not occur. Using a diagram, the author assumed this:
SP
NThat's our prephrase, and we take that into sorting the answers into losers and contenders.
Answer choice (A): This answer does not trigger the contrapositive as it does nothing to deal with how photography relates to narration, but only what photographers are attempting to accomplish.
Answer choice (B): No connection is made in this answer between photography and narration.
Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer choice. This is a perfect match for our prephrase. Winner!
Answer choice (D): No mention of photography or narration makes this answer a certain loser. Focus on the conclusion - we must discuss still photography in the correct answer!
Answer choice (E): This answer certainly includes the idea of still photography, which after all does produce images, but once again there is no connection made to the idea of narration, and so it too is a loser.
For a more detailed look at how the other claims in the stimulus can be handled conditionally, check out James' post below. In the heat of the moment during the test, though, with the clock ticking, start with a simple approach and focus on the relationship between the conclusion and the most obvious conditional claim that shares something in common with it.
