Miranda: In the modern information age, centuries of accumulated knowledge are becoming accessible to more people than ever before. Yet, many countries are observing a troubling decline in the ability of individuals to distinguish between objective truths and deliberate falsehoods. Akeem: Ancient libraries in Alexandria and Athens also housed vast collections of knowledge, yet those societies eventually entered what is now known as the Dark Ages. This demonstrates that simply increasing the availability of knowledge does not automatically improve people’s ability to critically evaluate misinformation. Miranda: That may be true, but in those times, people had to physically visit a library to access its knowledge. Today, thanks to the Internet, verifiable information is far more accessible to a much larger population, regardless of where they are located. Select for Support Miranda a statement that would support Miranda’s implied paradox, and select for Support Akeem a statement that would support Akeem’s initial rebuttal to Miranda. Make only two selections, one in each column.

Official Solution: Miranda’s Paradox: Miranda argues that despite unprecedented access to information, people struggle to distinguish truth from falsehood. She implies that greater access to information, like through the Internet, should improve this ability. Statement that supports Miranda's paradox: Independent studies involving thousands of individuals have demonstrated a clear link between greater access to information and an enhanced ability to recognize and reject misinformation. • The study shows that more access to information should improve people’s ability to identify misinformation. However, as Miranda points out, this is not happening in practice. Thus, this statement contributes to the paradox, highlighting the gap between what should happen and what is actually observed in the modern information age. Akeem’s Rebuttal: Akeem counters that simply having more knowledge available doesn’t ensure better critical thinking, as seen historically, where societies still believed in falsehoods despite access to vast knowledge. Statement that supports Akeem's rebuttal: People are often influenced more by emotional appeals or biases than by the sheer availability of factual knowledge." • This reinforces Akeem’s point that simply increasing the amount of knowledge does not address human tendencies, like emotional bias, which can override critical thinking and perpetuate belief in misinformation. Analysis of Other Statements: Many of the ancient libraries cited by Akeem as evidence were destroyed during the very Dark Ages he referenced. • Not good because: It critiques the historical longevity of libraries but does not address the core debate about the impact of knowledge availability on misinformation. Research conducted locally using physical texts can often provide a more rewarding and immersive experience for a scholar. • Not good because: This focuses on research satisfaction rather than the ability to identify misinformation, making it irrelevant to the discussion. The format and medium of information often affect how it is presented and perceived. • Not good because: While true, it does not directly support or challenge either argument about the impact of accessible knowledge on distinguishing truth from falsehood. In certain parts of modern Athens and Alexandria, accessing a physical library is still more reliable than accessing the Internet. • Not good because: It highlights infrastructure issues unrelated to whether access to information improves critical thinking or addresses misinformation. Correct answer: Support Miranda "Independent studies involving thousands of individuals have demonstrated a clear link between greater access to information and an enhanced ability to recognize and reject misinformation. " Support Akeem "People are often influenced more by emotional appeals or biases than by the sheer availability of factual knowledge." GMAT-Club-Forum-c12f9dmc.png

1. The question asks us to find the best statements to support Miranda's paradox and support Akeem's rebuttal . 2. Let's look at the possible options: - Many of the ancient libraries cited by Akeem as evidence were destroyed during the very Dark Ages he referenced. This would do the opposite of supporting Akeem, however, it doesn't add anything about Miranda's paradox. So, this statement is neither. - Research conducted locally using physical texts can often provide a more rewarding and immersive experience for a scholar. Here, it is irrelevant to the core discussion on accessibility and differencing true from false. So, this statement is neither. - Independent studies involving thousands of individuals have demonstrated a clear link between greater access to information and an enhanced ability to recognize and reject misinformation. This would add to Miranda's paradox with more proof from independent studies. So, this statement supports Miranda's paradox. - People are often influenced more by emotional appeals or biases than by the sheer availability of factual knowledge. Akeem's rebuttal was about how the accessibility of knowledge doesn't necessarily go with critical thinking skills. This statement tell us that sheer availability of knowledge doesn't really impact those skills. So, this statement supports Akeem's rebuttal. - The format and medium of information often affect how it is presented and perceived. Here, the accessibility of information is discussed but the argument with critical thinking isn't. So, this statement is neither. - In certain parts of modern Athens and Alexandria, accessing a physical library is still more reliable than accessing the Internet. This is irrelevant to the core discussion. So, this statement is neither.

Miranda: In the modern information age, centuries of accumulated : Two-part Analysis (TPA)

Miranda: In the modern information age, centuries of accumulated

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Support Miranda	Support Akeem
		Many of the ancient libraries cited by Akeem as evidence were destroyed during the very Dark Ages he referenced.
		Research conducted locally using physical texts can often provide a more rewarding and immersive experience for a scholar.
		Independent studies involving thousands of individuals have demonstrated a clear link between greater access to information and an enhanced ability to recognize and reject misinformation.
		People are often influenced more by emotional appeals or biases than by the sheer availability of factual knowledge.
		The format and medium of information often affect how it is presented and perceived.
		In certain parts of modern Athens and Alexandria, accessing a physical library is still more reliable than accessing the Internet.

GMAT Two-part Analysis (TPA) Questions