Self-study
P1
One of the intriguing questions considered by anthropologists concerns the purpose our early ancestors had in first creating images of the world around them. █████ █████ ██████ ███ ███████████████ ████ █████████ ████ ██ ███ █████████████ █ ██████ ███ ██████████ ███ ████████████ ██ ██████ ███ ███ ████████ ███ ████████ █████ ████████ ██ ████████████████ ████ ███
Phenomenon ·
Aurignacian cave paintings
Question: What was the purpose of the cave paintings?
OP Hypothesis 1 ·
It was art; it was luxury meant for enjoyment
Evidence: paintings are astonishingly well-executed; suggests creators were professional artists; suggests that Aurignacian culture was wealthy enough to support an artistic class.
P2
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Counter Evidence ·
Paintings' location too inconvenient if purpose was truly for aesthetic enjoyment
If it really was for aesthetic enjoyment, why hide the paintings deep in hard to get to caves? Doesn't make sense.
P3
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OP Hypothesis 2 ·
It was religious; intended to secure prey for hunting
Argument for Hypothesis 2 ·
Superstitious beliefs were common; paintings outline vital organs in red; evidence of ceremonies around the paintings
Passage Style
Critique or debate
Phenomenon-hypothesis (RC)
1.
Which one of the following ████ ██████████ █████████ ███ ████████ ████████ █████████ ███ ██████ ██████████ ██ ███████████████ ██ ███ █████ ██████████
a
implicit acceptance
This is the best answer. As explained below the question stem, the author claims that various features of the paintings
b
hesitant agreement
There’s no evidence the author is “hesitant” about her agreement. We don’t get any expression of doubt concerning the anthropologists’ explanation in P3.
c
noncommittal curiosity
The author claims that various features of the paintings
d
detached skepticism
There’s no evidence the author is skeptical of the anthropologists’ explanation. She never expresses doubt or raises potential counterevidence.
e
broad disagreement
There’s no evidence the author disagrees with the anthropologists’ explanation. She never expresses doubt or raises potential counterevidence.