danzig wrote:
The OA is C, and I agree, but the word "successful" doesn't sound good to me. The author believes that Clark's study is successful, but it doesn't mean that really it is successful or that I believe it is successful.
It seems that the choice is suggesting that the study is really successful, which we don't know.
Please, tell me whether I am wrong with this claim and why.
Thanks!
I am responding to a pm from
danzig. I like what
carcass and
daagh have to say on this page. I will just say --- I think you are reading too much into the phrase "successfully challenge."
Suppose you make an argument about something. Suppose I "successfully challenge" this argument. That doesn't necessarily mean that I completely obliterate your position, making it logically impossible for you or anyone else ever to hold that position again. That's too strong. All it means to challenge an argument is to raise serious objections, such that you would have to answer my objections or re-adjust your position to maintain the integrity of your argument. If I just say, "I don't agree", but don't say anything else, that's not a particularly successful challenge because it doesn't really require you to respond. A successful challenge requires an authentic response of some kind.
Here, the social constructivists staked out some position, and then Clark raised some serious objections to this position. It's not necessarily a complete rebuttal --- just objections. The social constructivists, in order to be taken serious, will have to answer these objections. In other words, Clark's analysis demands a response from them. That's a successful challenge.
Does that make sense?
Mike
_________________
Mike McGarry
Magoosh Test Prep
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