Self-study
Phoebe: There have been many reported sightings of strange glowing lights, but a number of these sightings have a straightforward, natural explanation. ████ ████████ █████████ ██ ████ ███ ████████ ██████ ███ ██████████ ██ █████ ████████████ ███ ██ ████ ██████ █████████ ██████████ ███████ █ ████ ██ ████ █████████ ██████ ██ ████████ ██ ███ ███████
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Summarize Argument: Counter-Position
Quincy concludes that Phoebe’s explanation of strange glowing lights as earthquake-induced is unconvincing. This is supported by the claim that the mechanism Phoebe proposes for her explanation—ball lightning forming as a result of ground stresses—is “extremely speculative.”
Describe Method of Reasoning
Quincy counters Phoebe’s argument by casting doubt on the mechanism she proposes to explain a phenomenon. By pointing out that earthquake-related ground stresses are not known to cause any kind of lightning, Quincy undermines Phoebe’s conclusion that the strange lights were “almost certainly” caused by earthquakes.
9.
In responding to Phoebe, Quincy
a
takes a correlation ██ ██ █ ██████ ████████
Quincy doesn’t say that any causal relationship exists based on a correlation. In fact, he’s arguing against Phoebe’s claim that a causal relationship exists.
b
challenges the accuracy ██ ███ ████ █████ █████████ ████ ██████ █████ ███ ███████
Quincy doesn’t challenge the accuracy of any of Phoebe’s data about the sightings. He accepts that the sightings have happened; he only doubts her explanation for the phenomenon.
c
criticizes Phoebe's explanation ██ ███████████████
Quincy criticizes Phoebe’s explanation of strange glowing lights being ball lightning caused by earthquakes, because it is founded on a speculative—meaning unsubstantiated—theory about the potential of earthquakes to cause lightning.
d
offers an explanation ██ ███ ███████ ██████ █████████ ████ ████████
Quincy doesn’t offer any alternative explanation of the glowing lights, only casts doubt on the plausibility of Phoebe’s explanation.
e
accuses Phoebe of ███████████ ██████████ ███████████
Quincy doesn’t claim that Phoebe has introduce any irrelevant information, only that she has interpreted the information in a questionable way based on speculative theories.