#11- One approach to the question of which objects discussed

[Adam Tyson]

Absolutely, Dylan - the author did fail to connect the most powerful theories to the majority of theories that are purely theoretical. The test makers could have given us an answer that made that connection for us, and it would have helped. But they didn't, and instead they focused on the other gap in the argument, between theory and reality. Connecting those two ideas also helps, and that's what we need for a good Strengthen answer - some help.

Sometimes there's more than one good prephrase, and we may be looking for one kind of answer and not find it, in which case we have to try looking for another.

[CJ12345:]

Hi, powerscore
I read all the posts but still a little bit confused. I think I will try to write the FL based on my understanding. Could you take a look and see if they are correct?
The last sentence says:
P: solely on theoretical grounds
C: (real --> explanatorily powerful theory) is incorrect, which means real --> ~explanatorily powerful theory.
Now, my goal is to find an AC that matches this premise and conclusion.
the correct AC B is saying: solely on theoretical grounds --> ~real
This AC does not match the stimulus's premise and conclusion as I stated above. why it is correct answer?

[Jeff Wren]

Hi CJ,

The first part of the last sentence in the stimulus, which you correctly identified as a premise, is "most scientific theories contain entities posited solely on theoretical grounds." You may have left out the "most scientific theories" part in your diagram just for shorthand, but it is important to the argument, so I just wanted to mention this.

In other words, the fact that most scientific theories contain entities based solely on theoretical grounds is going to be a serious problem for an approach that designates objects as real based on the most explanatorily powerful scientific theory (especially when combined with Answer B which states that entities based only on theoretical grounds should never be designated real).

The second half of the last sentence states the conclusion of the argument, which is that this approach is flawed. Your first diagram should be a double arrow, as the words "all and only" in the first sentence of the stimulus creates a biconditional, similar to the words "if and only if."

Your comment "which means real --> ~explanatorily powerful theory" appears to contain a logical error. Stating that a conditional statement is incorrect does not mean that the sufficient indicates the opposite necessary condition.

For example, the statement "If I have a candy bar, then I must have a Snickers" is not actually true in the real world. However, that does not mean that "If I have a candy bar, then I must not have a Snickers" is correct.

Lastly, this a strengthen question (due to the words "most justify") rather than a Justify question, so your goal is to strengthen the argument in any way possible.

Answer B links the premise that most scientific theories contain entities posited solely on theoretical grounds to the idea of those never being designated as real, which supports the argument's conclusion that an approach which relies on designating objects as real based on the most explanatorily powerful scientific theory is flawed.