Museums that house Renaissance

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Museums that house Renaissance

by akhpad » Fri Apr 23, 2010 2:35 am
Source: OG 12 Ed

Museums that house Renaissance oil paintings typically store them in environments that are carefully kept within narrow margins of temperature and humidity to inhibit any deterioration. Laboratory tests have shown that the kind of oil paint used in these paintings actually adjusts to climatic changes quite well. If, as some museum directors believe, paint is the most sensitive substance in these works, then by relaxing the standards for temperature and humidity control, museums can reduce energy costs without risking damage to these paintings. Museums would be rash to relax those standards, however, since results of preliminary tests indicate that gesso, a compound routinely used by Renaissance artists to help paint adhere to the canvas, is unable to withstand significant variations in humidity.

In the argument above, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?

(A) The first is an objection that has been raised against the position taken by the argument; the second is the position taken by the argument.
(B) The first is the position taken by the argument; the second is the position that the argument calls into question.
(C) The first is a judgment that has been offered in support of the position that the argument calls into question; the second is a circumstance on which that judgment is, in part, based.
(D) The first is a judgment that has been offered in support of the position that the argument calls into question; the second is that position.
(E) The first is a claim that the argument calls into question; the second is the position taken by the argument.

OA: D
Last edited by akhpad on Fri Apr 23, 2010 5:39 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Source: — Critical Reasoning |

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by akhpad » Fri Apr 23, 2010 2:40 am
Can someone explain above CR based on both flow diagram method (premise-assumption-conclusion) and backup method?
Last edited by akhpad on Fri Apr 23, 2010 7:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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by vivek1110 » Fri Apr 23, 2010 5:50 am
I think it's D, what's the OA?
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by kevincanspain » Fri Apr 23, 2010 8:38 am
akhp77 wrote:Can someone explain above CR based on both method flow chart and back run?
I don't know what these terms refer to, but let's approach the question as you would any critical reasoning argument:

Look for the author's main point (i.e. conclusion) : Museums would be rash to relax those standards

Note that this conclusion is reached even though the author concedes that museums can reduce energy costs without risking damage to these paintings, if it is assumed that paint is the most sensitive substance in these works.

The author presents evidence casting doubt on this assumption (the results of preliminary tests...
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by tpr-becky » Fri Apr 23, 2010 12:59 pm
I am unfamiliar with your terms but I can say on this type of argument I would find the conclusion

"Museums would be rash to reduce energy" and the premise "gesso cannot withstand variations"

Then you look to what the bolded phrases are - the second is the opposite of the conclusion and the first is a statement in support of the opposite of the conclusion.
a) the second phrase is NOT the position taken by the argument

b) The first is a reason, not the position
c) The second is not a judgement, it is the opposite of the argument

d) is the correct answer because the second is a position that the argument calls into question and the first is evidence in support of the second.

e) again, the second is not the position taken by the argument.
In this question I found it eaier to focus on the second statement and eliminate answers that don't match, then figure out the first part.
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by akhpad » Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:47 pm
I understood up to some extent.


Museums would be rash to relax those standards, however, since .... gesso is unable to withstand significant variations in humidity.

Conclusion:
Museums would be rash to relax those standards.

Premise:
Gesso is unable to withstand significant variations in humidity.

Premise is against 2nd boldface but Conclusion support 2nd boldface. 1st boldface support to 2nd boldface.. Is it correct?



tpr-becky, Evidence can not be the judgment.

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by tpr-becky » Fri Apr 23, 2010 7:49 pm
The judgment of another person is used as evidence to support the conclusion that the argument's conclusion argues against. so in this case the judgment of some experts is evidence.
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