Books about architectural works, unless they are not intended for

Question

Books about architectural works, unless they are not intended for a general audience, ought to include discussions of both the utility and the aesthetic appeal of each of the buildings they consider. If they do not, they are flawed. Morton’s book on Italian Baroque palaces describes these palaces’ functional aspects, but fails to mention that the main hall of a palace he discusses at length has a ceiling that is one of the truly breathtaking masterpieces of Western art.

If the statements above are true, it would be necessary to establish which one of the following in order to conclude that Morton’s book is flawed?

If the statements above are true, it would be necessary to establish which one of the following in order to conclude that Morton’s book is flawed?

(A) Morton’s description of the palaces’ utility is inaccurate.

(B) Morton’s book does not discuss aspects of the palaces other than utility and aesthetic appeal.

(C) Morton’s book is intended for a general audience.

(D) The passage discussing the palace plays a very important role in helping to establish the overall argument of Morton’s book.

(E) The palace discussed at length is one of the most aesthetically important of those treated in Morton’s book.

eakabuah · Answer

C is the right answer.

First of all, let's establish logical statements that can be inferred correctly from the statement above.
1. They (books about architectural works) are intended for a general audience ---->They ought to include discussions of both the utility and the aesthetic appeal of the buildings considered.
2. They don't include discussions of both the utility and the aesthetic appeal of the buildings considered-----> They are not intended for a general audience
3. They do not (include discussions of both the utility and the aesthetic appeal of the building considered)-----> They are flawed
4. They are not flawed -----> They do (include discussions of both the utility and the aesthetic appeal of the buildings considered)

3 and 4 above establish the condition for which an architectural book will be considered flawed or not flawed. But does that mean that any architectural book that does not include discussions of both the utility and the aesthetic appeal is flawed? No. From 1 and 2, we realize that these books must be books that are intended for a public audience. Hence an architectural book not intended for a public audience won't be necessarily flawed if they do not include discussions of both the utility and the aesthetic appeal of the buildings considered in the book. So we need to establish two things: whether the book is intended for public use and whether the book includes discussions of both the utility and aesthetic appeal of the buildings considered in the book.

Our task is to look for the answer choice that includes either of the two conditions or both of the two conditions enumerated above. Only option C states that Morton's book is intended for a general audience, which is one of the conditions that have to be established in order to determine whether a book on architectural work is flawed. C is thus the correct answer.

The argument above is not interested in determining the accuracy of the description of the palaces' utility. A is incorrect.

Option B is tricky. To determine whether an architectural book is flawed is not contingent on the discussion of   only   the utility and the aesthetic appeal of the building considered. Instead, it is contingent on whether the book includes discussions on the utility and the aesthetic appeal of the buildings considered in the book. B is thus incorrect.

Correct per the reasoning above.

Completely out of scope and irrelevant to the two conditions enumerated above as necessary to determine whether an architectural book is flawed.

E is incorrect because it does not talk about the need to establish whether the architectural book satisfies any of or both of the two conditions established above.

Yellkrishna · Answer

We have to establish that either it discussed some other aesthetic aspect of the building or that it is meant for general audience.

A. This could be so, but that doesn’t weaken the point that the book doesn’t discuss aesthetic aspect of the building.

B.not required.

C. If this is so, then the book doesn’t have to talk about aesthetics also. So the book is not flawed.

D. Irrelevant.

E. So it makes more sense that the book discusses about the aesthetic aspects of the palace. So no.

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Simransahni03 · Answer

please help me understand why C. Doesnt the stem ask "it would be necessary to establish which one of the following in order to conclude that Morton’s book   is flawed  ?"

DmitryFarberMPrep · Answer

The previous poster got turned around. The argument says we need to cover aesthetic appeal unless the book is NOT for a general audience. C says that it IS for a general audience. That's what we need to assume in order to conclude that the book is flawed.

patnaik1988 · Answer

Hi Dmitry,
From the argument as i understood, The rules applicable for Morton's book to be flawed doesn't include General audience.
If Option C is assumed to be True the rules of flaw doesn't apply.
Also please elaborate why option E is wrong.

guddo · Answer

Books about architectural works, unless they are not intended for a general audience, ought to include discussions of both the utility and the aesthetic appeal of each of the buildings they consider. If they do not, they are flawed. Morton’s book on Italian Baroque palaces describes these palaces’ functional aspects, but fails to mention that the main hall of a palace he discusses at length has a ceiling that is one of the truly breathtaking masterpieces of Western art. 
 
If the statements above are true, it would be necessary to establish which one of the following in order to conclude that Morton’s book is flawed?

The rule is conditional: books on architecture are flawed if they fail to discuss both utility and aesthetic appeal,  unless they are not intended for a general audience . We are told Morton omits an important aesthetic feature, but to conclude the book is flawed, we still need to know that the exception does not apply. So we must establish that Morton’s book is for a general audience.

(A) Morton’s description of the palaces’ utility is inaccurate.

Not necessary. The flaw described in the rule is failure to discuss both utility and aesthetic appeal, not inaccurate discussion of utility.

(B) Morton’s book does not discuss aspects of the palaces other than utility and aesthetic appeal.

Not necessary. The argument does not depend on whether the book discusses other aspects too.

(C) Morton’s book is intended for a general audience.

This is correct.  Without this, we cannot apply the rule.  If the book is not for a general audience, then the stated standard may not apply, and the conclusion that the book is flawed would not follow.

(D) The passage discussing the palace plays a very important role in helping to establish the overall argument of Morton’s book.

Not necessary. Even a minor omission could count as a flaw under the given rule.

(E) The palace discussed at length is one of the most aesthetically important of those treated in Morton’s book.

Not necessary. The rule says each building considered should include discussion of both utility and aesthetic appeal. It does not depend on comparative importance.

Answer: (C)

Books about architectural works, unless they are not intended for

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Books about architectural works, unless they are not intended for

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