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Critic: Political utility determines the popularity of a metaphor. In 28 Apr 2020, 02:55
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Critic: Political utility determines the popularity of a metaphor. In authoritarian societies, the metaphor of society as a human body governed by a head is pervasive. Therefore, the society-as-body metaphor, with its connection between society’s proper functioning and governance by a head, promotes greater acceptance of authoritarian repression than do other metaphors, such as likening society to a family.

Which one of the following statements, if true, most weakens the critic’s argument?


(A) In authoritarian societies, the metaphor of society as a family is just as pervasive as the society-as-body metaphor.

(B) Every society tries to justify the legitimacy of its government through the use of metaphor.

(C) The metaphor of society as a human body is sometimes used in nonauthoritarian societies.

(D) Authoritarian leaders are always searching for new metaphors for society in their effort to maintain their power.

(E) The metaphor of society as a human body governed by head is rarely used in liberal democracies.
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Critic: Political utility determines the popularity of a metaphor. In 28 Apr 2020, 03:35
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Critic: Political utility determines the popularity of a metaphor. In authoritarian societies, the metaphor of society as a human body governed by a head is pervasive. Therefore, the society-as-body metaphor, with its connection between society’s proper functioning and governance by a head, promotes greater acceptance of authoritarian repression than do other metaphors, such as likening society to a family.

Which one of the following statements, if true, most weakens the critic’s argument?

The critic's argument is that likening society as a body to be governed by a head - authoritarian , receives greater acceptance than the metaphor likening society
to a family

(A) In authoritarian societies, the metaphor of society as a family is just as pervasive as the society-as-body metaphor.

(B) Every society tries to justify the legitimacy of its government through the use of metaphor.

(C) The metaphor of society as a human body is sometimes used in nonauthoritarian societies. Correct. It says this is used by even non-authoritarian societies

(D) Authoritarian leaders are always searching for new metaphors for society in their effort to maintain their power.

(E) The metaphor of society as a human body governed by head is rarely used in liberal democracies.
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Critic: Political utility determines the popularity of a metaphor. In 28 Apr 2020, 11:33
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Which one of the following statements, if true, most weakens the critic’s argument?
Prethinking
If we can somehow strengthen that popularity of a metaphor is not related to public utility, then we can weaken the critic's argument

(A) In authoritarian societies, the metaphor of society as a family is just as pervasive as the society-as-body metaphor. - in line with our prethinking, keep it

(B) Every society tries to justify the legitimacy of its government through the use of metaphor. - not related

(C) The metaphor of society as a human body is sometimes used in nonauthoritarian societies. - sometimes doesn't clear whether its popular or not

(D) Authoritarian leaders are always searching for new metaphors for society in their effort to maintain their power. - may be but doesn't mean they will be popular metaphors

(E) The metaphor of society as a human body governed by head is rarely used in liberal democracies. -strengthens the argument
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Critic: Political utility determines the popularity of a metaphor. In 29 Apr 2020, 01:52
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Given : society-as-body metaphor has implied meaning that there will be a body headed by somone vs society-as-body in which there may or may not be governance by a head
Assumption 1 : In non-authoritarian governance - society-as-body methaphor is not easily accepted

(A) In authoritarian societies, the metaphor of society as a family is just as pervasive as the society-as-body metaphor.--It doesn't do anyting to tell why it promotes greater acceptance of authoritarian

(B) Every society tries to justify the legitimacy of its government through the use of metaphor.--Irrelevant

(C) The metaphor of society as a human body is sometimes used in nonauthoritarian societies. --This weakens the conclusion

(D) Authoritarian leaders are always searching for new metaphors for society in their effort to maintain their power.--Irrelevant

(E) The metaphor of society as a human body governed by head is rarely used in liberal democracies.--this is opposite .
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Critic: Political utility determines the popularity of a metaphor. In 21 Oct 2023, 08:40
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Bunuel
Critic: Political utility determines the popularity of a metaphor. In authoritarian societies, the metaphor of society as a human body governed by a head is pervasive. Therefore, the society-as-body metaphor, with its connection between society’s proper functioning and governance by a head, promotes greater acceptance of authoritarian repression than do other metaphors, such as likening society to a family.

Which one of the following statements, if true, most weakens the critic’s argument?


(A) In authoritarian societies, the metaphor of society as a family is just as pervasive as the society-as-body metaphor.

(B) Every society tries to justify the legitimacy of its government through the use of metaphor.

(C) The metaphor of society as a human body is sometimes used in nonauthoritarian societies.

(D) Authoritarian leaders are always searching for new metaphors for society in their effort to maintain their power.

(E) The metaphor of society as a human body governed by head is rarely used in liberal democracies.
Show more

Paraphrasing, we get:

Premise 1: Political utility determines the popularity of a metaphor.
Premise 2: In authoritarian societies, the metaphor of society as a human body governed by a head is pervasive.
Conclusion: The society-as-body metaphor promotes greater acceptance of authoritarian repression than do other metaphors, such as likening society to a family.


(A) In authoritarian societies, the metaphor of society as a family is just as pervasive as the society-as-body metaphor. Correct. If they're both just as pervasive then society-as-body does not promote greater acceptance of authoritarian repression compared with society-as-family, thus weakening the conclusion.

(B) Every society tries to justify the legitimacy of its government through the use of metaphor. Incorrect. We can't make unstated assumptions - There are no references to legitimacy anywhere; not mentioned.

(C) The metaphor of society as a human body is sometimes used in nonauthoritarian societies. Incorrect. So What? Does it promote greater acceptance compared with other metaphors?

(D) Authoritarian leaders are always searching for new metaphors for society in their effort to maintain their power. Incorrect. Out of Scope.

(E) The metaphor of society as a human body governed by head is rarely used in liberal democracies. Incorrect. No references to liberal democracies. Same as B

Conclusion must always be found and addressed accordingly, depending on what CR question type we're dealing with.
Great question! Keep up the good work!­
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Critic: Political utility determines the popularity of a metaphor. In 18 Sep 2025, 01:27
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Bunuel
Critic: Political utility determines the popularity of a metaphor. In authoritarian societies, the metaphor of society as a human body governed by a head is pervasive. Therefore, the society-as-body metaphor, with its connection between society’s proper functioning and governance by a head, promotes greater acceptance of authoritarian repression than do other metaphors, such as likening society to a family.

Which one of the following statements, if true, most weakens the critic’s argument?


(A) In authoritarian societies, the metaphor of society as a family is just as pervasive as the society-as-body metaphor.

(B) Every society tries to justify the legitimacy of its government through the use of metaphor.

(C) The metaphor of society as a human body is sometimes used in nonauthoritarian societies.

(D) Authoritarian leaders are always searching for new metaphors for society in their effort to maintain their power.

(E) The metaphor of society as a human body governed by head is rarely used in liberal democracies.
Show more
(A) In authoritarian societies, the metaphor of society as a family is just as pervasive as the society-as-body metaphor.

Correct. If this was true, then the Critic's claim that Political utility determines the popularity of a metaphor would be wrong.
because both - authoritarian and non-authoritarian metaphors are used in the authoritarian societies.

(B) Every society tries to justify the legitimacy of its government through the use of metaphor.

Strengthener. Shows that - Political utility determines the popularity of a metaphor.

(C) The metaphor of society as a human body is sometimes used in nonauthoritarian societies.

Strengthener. Shows that - Political utility determines the popularity of a metaphor.
Non-authoritarian -> Rarely uses the authoritarian metaphor mentioned in the passage

(D) Authoritarian leaders are always searching for new metaphors for society in their effort to maintain their power.

Strengthener. Shows that - Political utility determines the popularity of a metaphor.

(E) The metaphor of society as a human body governed by head is rarely used in liberal democracies.

Strengthener. Shows that - Political utility determines the popularity of a metaphor.
Liberal democracy -> Non-authoritarian -> Rarely uses the authoritarian metaphor
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