let's discuss

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let's discuss

by yangliu0401 » Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:40 pm
No. 1:
Dr. Ruiz: Dr. Smith has expressed outspoken antismoking views in public. Even though Dr. Smith is otherwise qualified, clearly she cannot be included on a panel that examines the danger of secondhand cigarette smoke. As an organizer of the panel, I want to ensure that the panel examines the issue in an unbiased manner before coming to any conclusion.

Which one of the following, if true, provides the strongest basis for countering Dr. Ruiz' argument that Dr. Smith should not be included on the panel?

(A) A panel composed of qualified people with strong but conflicting views on a particular topic is more likely to reach an unbiased conclusion than a panel composed of people who have kept their views, if any, private.

(B) People who hold strong views on a particular topic tend to accept new evidence on that topic only if it supports their views.

(C) A panel that includes one qualified person with publicly known strong views on a particular topic is more likely to have lively discussions than a panel that includes only people with no well-defined views on that topic.

(D) People who have expressed strong views in public on a particular topic are better at raising funds to support their case than are people who have never expressed strong views in public.

(E) People who have well-defined strong views on a particular topic prior to joining a panel are often able to impose their views on panel members who are not committed at the outset to any conclusion.

The answer is A. Why not E?
I think E's more logical-- If one's opinion can influnce other members' decision, then the final result of the panel would not be objective.

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No. 2:
Professor: Members of most species are able to communicate with other members of the same species, but it is not true that all communication can be called "language." The human communication system unquestionably qualifies as language. In fact, using language is a trait without which we would not be human.

Student: I understand that communication by itself is not language, but how do you know that the highly evolved communication systems of songbirds, dolphins, honeybees, and apes, for example, are not languages?

The student has interpreted the professor's remarks to mean that

(A) different species can have similar defining traits

(B) every human trait except using language is shared by at least one other species

(C) not all languages are used to communicate

(D) using language is a trait humans do not share with any other species

(E) humans cannot communicate with members of other species

Really have no idea about the answer. E???or D??? :oops:
Source: — Critical Reasoning |

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by umaa » Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:33 pm
1. E is wrong because in the argument nowhere it is mentioned that Dr. Smith has strong view.

So, E is not relevant to the argument.

2. I think A is correct. I don't find anything relevant to the students opposition. Please post the OA for this question.

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by kvivekj » Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:39 pm
1. The answer is definitely A.
We are supposed to choose the best truth that counters Ruiz's argument.
Answer choice E clearly supports the argument. It supports the argument by saying that Smith has a predefined notion about smoking and she would probably convince all other panel members for her decision. So it supports.
Answer choice A says that Smith has a different view and a panel with members having different view will be successful in providing an unbiased decision. Hence, A.
2. I go for D.
Professor, in his lecture, is talking about the communication among members of the same species. He says Communication among Humans takes place with the help of language. We clearly understand that human languages cant be used for communicating with other species, meaning language is used only for communication among humans, we don’t share language communication with other species. If Dolphins and other evolved species can communicate effectively among themselves, why cant their communication termed as language? So, the student has interpreted that humans don’t share the trait of language communication with other species.

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by yangliu0401 » Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:26 am
kvivekj wrote:1. The answer is definitely A.
We are supposed to choose the best truth that counters Ruiz's argument.
Answer choice E clearly supports the argument. It supports the argument by saying that Smith has a predefined notion about smoking and she would probably convince all other panel members for her decision. So it supports.
Answer choice A says that Smith has a different view and a panel with members having different view will be successful in providing an unbiased decision. Hence, A.
2. I go for D.
Professor, in his lecture, is talking about the communication among members of the same species. He says Communication among Humans takes place with the help of language. We clearly understand that human languages cant be used for communicating with other species, meaning language is used only for communication among humans, we don’t share language communication with other species. If Dolphins and other evolved species can communicate effectively among themselves, why cant their communication termed as language? So, the student has interpreted that humans don’t share the trait of language communication with other species.
I think it's more clear now. Thx a lot :D

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by graem83d » Sun May 15, 2016 2:42 am
I still feel A should be the answer