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 Dana D
PowerScore Staff
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#105755
Complete question explanation

Because this is an argument part question, we want to look at the overall structure of the stimulus to determine what role each sentence or idea is playing. First, the author introduces the debate among anthropologists. Then, we look at one proposed definition of culture. The subsequent sentence "if this definition is correct..." introduces rationalization that is entirely dependent on this definition of culture being correct. The last idea of the paragraph, that "abandonment of any custom would constitute the cultures destruction" is an idea that is only accurate if this definition of culture is accurate.

Method-Argument Part. The correct answer is C.


Answer Choice (A) This is not the main conclusion - the conclusion is that "if this definition is correct, then the customs of a culture necessarily function to preserve it." The role of this part of the argument is to support the conclusion.

Answer Choice (B) The only term being defined in this question is "culture" and the author is not defining culture as "the abandonment of any custom by a culture's members would constitute that culture's destruction" so this answer is incorrect.

Answer Choice (C) This is the correct answer.
It correctly describes that the statement in question is used in support of a conclusion, and that the conclusion is one that is completely conditional - it relies on the definition of culture being correct.

Answer Choice (D) The author is not arguing that this is how culture should be understood, they are merely saying that if we understand culture to be this definition, then this happens.

Answer Choice (E) The argument does not dismiss this as trivial, rather the author's logic hinges entirely on this reasoning, so this answer is incorrect.
 RAB
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#84307
Dear Powerscore expert,

What is the conditional conclusion in the stimulus? That customs in a culture invariably function to preserve it? How can one detect this is a conditional conclusion?

Thank you in advance for your insights.
RAB
 Adam Tyson
PowerScore Staff
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#84378
The conclusion in this stimulus, RAB, is "If this definition is correct, then the customs of a culture necessarily function to preserve it, even if only in the most trivial sense." And that is very much conditional! The author isn't claiming that the definition IS correct, but only what would be true IF it was correct. And the claim asked about in the stem supports that conditional conclusion, making answer C a perfect description.

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