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Quote:
­Philosophy student: Some objects that are considered beautiful by everyone who has observed them may not be, in fact, truly beautiful. To see that this is so, consider this: No one doubts that some objects that are appreciated by many people have aesthetic flaws that are discernible only to sophisticated observers. But even these sophisticated observers are limited by their finite intellects and experiences. Thus, an object that appears beautiful to the most sophisticated actual observers may nonetheless have subtle but severe aesthetic shortcomings that would make it appear hideous to hypothetical observers of even greater sophistication. Such an object would be ugly, regardless of any actual person's opinion.
In general, if an object ___1___, then that object ___2___.
Select for 1 and for 2 the two different options that complete the sentence in such a way that it expresses a principle on which the philosophy student's argument relies. Make only two selections, one in each column.
This is what he says: an object that appears beautiful to the most sophisticated actual observers may nonetheless have subtle but severe aesthetic shortcomings that would make it appear hideous to hypothetical observers of even greater sophistication. Such an object would be ugly, regardless of any actual person's opinion.
Some objects that are considered beautiful by everyone who has observed them may not be, in fact, truly beautiful.
This is the student's opinion. What is the principle he is using?
That if an object would appear hideous to some hypothetical sophisticated observers, then the object is not beautiful.
If X, then Y.
He says that if X happened, then Y will be true. He is concluding Y. He is concluding that then that object is not truly beautiful.
Hence X - an object would appear hideous to hypothetical observers of even greater sophistication than the most sophisticated actual observers
Y - that object is not truly beautiful­
ANSWER - 3rd and 4th sentences
Quote:
Options B and E
If an object is thought by most observers to have some aesthetic flaws then that object is not widely appreciated by unsophisticated observers.
It seems to me that both B and E are saying similar things. Also, this may be true but is it the principle of the argument of the student? No. The student is not concerned with objects that are ugly to most people. He is concerned with objects that most people find beautiful. This is certainly not the principle he is using for his argument. ­
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In general, if an object is considered beautiful by everyone , then that object would appear hideous to hypothetical observers of even greater sophistication than the most sophisticated actual observers .

I chose this one, can someone highlight what's wrong with this approach?
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thenerdycat
In general, if an object is considered beautiful by everyone , then that object would appear hideous to hypothetical observers of even greater sophistication than the most sophisticated actual observers .

I chose this one, can someone highlight what's wrong with this approach?
­Say for example, an object is truly beautiful. 

Now, if an object is considered beautiful by everyone,
then can we say "that object would appear hideous to hypothetical observers " ? 

if its truly beautiful, then the object would appear beautiful to hypothetical observers as well. Right?
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manasp35

thenerdycat
In general, if an object is considered beautiful by everyone , then that object would appear hideous to hypothetical observers of even greater sophistication than the most sophisticated actual observers .

I chose this one, can someone highlight what's wrong with this approach?
­Say for example, an object is truly beautiful. 

Now, if an object is considered beautiful by everyone,
then can we say "that object would appear hideous to hypothetical observers " ? 

if its truly beautiful, then the object would appear beautiful to hypothetical observers as well. Right?
­Okay, when you are referring to "everyone", we are also considering "hypothetical observers" as well. I was under the assumption that everyone refers to actual realistic people, and hypothetical observers as separate entity.

Anyway, now it makes sense - thank you! :)
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thenerdycat

manasp35

thenerdycat
In general, if an object is considered beautiful by everyone , then that object would appear hideous to hypothetical observers of even greater sophistication than the most sophisticated actual observers .

I chose this one, can someone highlight what's wrong with this approach?
­Say for example, an object is truly beautiful. 

Now, if an object is considered beautiful by everyone,
then can we say "that object would appear hideous to hypothetical observers " ? 

if its truly beautiful, then the object would appear beautiful to hypothetical observers as well. Right?
­Okay, when you are referring to "everyone", we are also considering "hypothetical observers" as well. I was under the assumption that everyone refers to actual realistic people, and hypothetical observers as separate entity.

 
We don't know whether "everyone" is including hypothetical. Even if it is not including hypothetical, the statement ­

In general, if an object is considered beautiful by everyone , then that object would appear hideous to hypothetical observers of even greater sophistication than the most sophisticated actual observers

is still incorrect.

if an object is considered beautiful by everyone (realistic people), it could mean two things


1. the object is not beautiful but is considered beautiful by everyone (realistic people) . Meaning it has flaws. In this case hypothetical ones will find it ugly. (here statement is valid.)

2. the object is actually beautiful. In this case, hypothetical ones will also find it beautiful. (here statement is not valid.)

 ­
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Quote:
We don't know whether "everyone" is including hypothetical. Even if it is not including hypothetical, the statement ­
In general, if an object is considered beautiful by everyone , then that object would appear hideous to hypothetical observers of even greater sophistication than the most sophisticated actual observers

is still incorrect.

if an object is considered beautiful by everyone (realistic people), it could mean two things


1. the object is not beautiful but is considered beautiful by everyone (realistic people) . Meaning it has flaws. In this case hypothetical ones will find it ugly. (here statement is valid.)

2. the object is actually beautiful. In this case, hypothetical ones will also find it beautiful. (here statement is not valid.)

 ­
­Woah, that actually makes sense - thanks a ton!­
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­The student is arguing that just because something is considered beautiful by everyone doesn't mean it truly is beautiful.
This is based on the idea that even the most sophisticated observers are limited, and there could be flaws invisible to them but apparent to a hypothetically, even more sophisticated observer.

=> If an object would appear hideous to hypothetical observers of even greater sophistication than the most sophisticated actual observers,
then that object is not truly beautiful.


If an object would be judged as hideous by these hypothetical more sophisticated observers, then it is not genuinely beautiful. In other words, true beauty is independent of current opinions and depends on a higher, possibly unattainable standard.­
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Here’s a simpler version of the problem above:

Some objects that everyone finds beautiful might not actually be truly beautiful (1). Certain flaws can only be seen by the most perceptive observers. But even they, limited by their own understanding, might miss flaws that hypothetical observers with greater insight could notice (2).
  • Conclusion (1)
  • Premise (2)

Logic:
  • In general, (2) thus (1) = if more advanced observers would find flaws that current observers cannot, then the object is not truly beautiful.

Solution:
  • If an object would appear hideous to hypothetical observers of even greater sophistication than the most sophisticated actual observers, then that object is not truly beautiful.
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