PT88.S4.Q13 - There are many poets with cheerful dispositions

Comments

• 1 Like

  Michael.Cinco Member Sage ⭐

  October 2019 2116 karma

  I just did that section.

  If you look at it, this is how it is structured.

  P1.Most poets author has met are disposed to melancholy
  Conclusion: If P1 is representative then one can conclude that many poets are made melancholy by writing poetry.

  AP: an activity as engrossing and profound as writing poetry can be depressing.

  I think the tricky part is that it does actually clarify the statement made in the conclusion insofar as it gives you a reason to believe that writing poetry can cause melancholy however because the way it clarifies the conclusion is by giving you reason to believe it, it also acts as a premise!

  D is incorrect because we are asked to identify the role that statement is making in the Argument (hence argument part question) it both clarifies and is a premise in the argument. E is the better answer because its focused on the argument component.
• 2ndTimestheCharm Alum Member

  October 2019 edited October 2019 1810 karma

  Thank you. I understand, but I'm not a fan. What's the reason we should believe it? Because anything that is engrossing and profound CAN make you sad? That's a really weak reason. It's like saying anything that has citrus can upset one's stomach. Therefore oranges cause people to throw up. This seems like a sloppy question to me that is open to interpretation. Here's hoping I don't see one like this on Monday. But if I do, I'll remember this.
• 1 Like

  Michael.Cinco Member Sage ⭐

  October 2019 2116 karma

  With questions like Argument Part or main conclusion...I try not to bother assessing how strong or weak the argument really Is, just what it is trying to do. So yeah weak argument but its validity is not in scope of what we are trying to achieve. Save those brain cells for strengthen, weaken and flaw among other question types!
• 2ndTimestheCharm Alum Member

  October 2019 1810 karma

  Good point. Thank you. Do you think that "clarification" can ever be a correct answer to an AP?
• Michael.Cinco Member Sage ⭐

  October 2019 2116 karma

  I wouldn’t put it past LSAC but if they used clarify it would have to make a point to say that the clarification is in support of the conclusion. That’s what was missing from that answer choice.