Self-study
M: The Greek alphabet must have been invented by some individual who knew the Phoenician writing system and who wanted to have some way of recording Homeric epics and thereby preserving expressions of a highly developed tradition of oral poetry.
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Summarize Argument: Counter-Position
P concludes that M’s hypothesis that the Greek alphabet was invented by someone who wanted to record Homeric epics is laughable. As support, P questions the purpose of such a person recording Homeric epics, since that person would know the epics well enough to not need to read them. Additionally, nobody else would be able to read the stories if the person was writing them in a newly invented language.
Describe Method of Reasoning
P responds to M by making M’s hypothesis seem ridiculous. P claims that the type of person who M claims would have invented the Greek alphabet would not have had a reason to write down Homeric epics in Greek.
3.
Which one of the following ██ ██ █████████████ ████████ ████ █ ████ ██ ██████████ ██ ██
a
attacking M's understanding ██ ███ ████████ █████ ██ ████ ██████
P does not discuss the literary value of oral poetry, so P’s argument did not contain an attack against M’s understanding of the literary value of oral poetry.
b
disagreeing with M's ██████ ███████ ██████████ ██ ██████ ██
P does attempt to refute M’s thesis. P does so by illustrating that the type of person who M claims would have invented the Greek alphabet would not have had a reason to write down Homeric epics in Greek.
c
challenging M's knowledge ██ ███ ██████████ ███████ ██████
P does not challenge M’s knowledge of the Phoenician writing system; P does not mention the Phoenician writing system nor does she question M’s knowledge.
d
attempting to undermine ███ ██████████ ██ ██████ ██ ██████ ██████
P concludes that M’s hypothesis is laughable, and attempts to show that the person who M claims invented the Greek alphabet would not have any reason to write down Homeric epics, thus making M’s argument seem absurd.
e
providing an alternative ██████████████ ██ ████████ ███ ███████ ██ █
Neither P nor M provides evidence, and P does not give an alternative interpretation of any previously discussed evidence.