On the 14th of March, the Emperor of the South was warned by a prophet

Question

On the 14th of March, the Emperor of the South was warned by a prophet that he must beware the ides, or 15th, of March, since he sees a bad omen for the Emperor on the following day. The Emperor did not heed the prophet and was killed on the 15th of March. A history professor has claimed, on the basis of this, that the Emperor was killed because the omen was real.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the professor's claim?

Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the professor's claim?

A. A survey conducted last year shows that over 83% of people above the age of 18 do not believe in omens.

B. The prophet himself didn't believe in the omen he was prophesizing of.

C. Four other prophets prophesized that very same day in the same city and none of their prophecies came true.

D. The prophecy was made on March the 14th, 49 B.C. and the Emperor was killed on March the 15th, 44 B.C.

E. Every former prophecy made by the prophet in question came true.

sonalgmat123 · Answer

A. A survey conducted last year shows that over 83% of people above the age of 18 do not believe in omens.

B. The prophet himself didn't believe in the omen he was prophesizing of.

C. Four other prophets prophesized that very same day in the same city and none of their prophecies came true.

D. The prophecy was made on March the 14th, 49 B.C. and the Emperor was killed on March the 15th, 44 B.C. - Correct bcz in that case , March 15th won't be following March 14th and the Omen becomes false

E. Every former prophecy made by the prophet in question came true.

SShareef · Answer

For the last time, Julius Ceaser was not Emperor

winterschool · Answer

On the 14th of March, the Emperor of the South was warned by a prophet that he must beware the ides, or 15th, of March, since he sees a bad omen for the Emperor on the following day. The Emperor did not heed the prophet and was killed on the 15th of March. A history professor has claimed, on the basis of this, that the Emperor was killed because the omen was real.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the professor's claim?

Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the professor's claim?

A. A survey conducted last year shows that over 83% of people above the age of 18 do not believe in omens.  Incorrect

it shows extra information, cant weakens professor's claim

B. The prophet himself didn't believe in the omen he was prophesizing of.  Incorrect

prophet's perception cant weakens professor's claim

C. Four other prophets prophesized that very same day in the same city and none of their prophecies came true.  Incorrect

support argument

D.  The prophecy was made on March the 14th, 49 B.C. and the Emperor was killed on March the 15th, 44 B.C.   Correct

Emperor was killed after five years of prophesies, weakens argument
 
E. Every former prophecy made by the prophet in question came true.  Incorrect

support argument

CEdward · Answer

The answer is D. The indeterminacy with respect to the year weakens the argument. Suppose I predicted that person X would die on March 15, 2000, but that person dies instead on March 15, 2005. Evidently, the omen is not true (or at the very least, not completely accurate).

AnirudhaS · Answer

IMO: D

On the 14th of March, the Emperor of the South was warned by a prophet that he must beware the ides, or 15th, of March, since he sees a bad omen for the Emperor  on the following day .

Prediction was for following day, but the emperor died 5 years later.

ramlala · Answer

On the 14th of March, the Emperor of the South was warned by a prophet that he must beware the ides, or 15th, of March, since he sees a bad omen for the Emperor on the following day. The Emperor did not heed the prophet and was killed on the 15th of March. A history professor has claimed, on the basis of this, that the Emperor was killed because the omen was real.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the professor's claim?

Which of the following, if true, most  seriously undermines  the professor's claim?

A. A survey conducted last year shows that over 83% of people above the age of 18 do not believe in omens.
 Omen was real or not is not depend on the survey

B. The prophet himself didn't believe in the omen he was prophesizing of.
 That doesn't convey that omen was real or not

C. Four other prophets prophesized that very same day in the same city and none of their prophecies came true.
 Not relevant

D. The prophecy was made on March the 14th, 49 B.C. and the Emperor was killed on March the 15th, 44 B.C.
 If the dates of ocurrance is changed than predicted, than it undermines professor calims

E. Every former prophecy made by the prophet in question came true.
 This strengthens argument not undermines argument

IMO D

Bunuel · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

On the 14th of March, the Emperor of the South was warned by a prophet that he must beware the ides, or 15th, of March, since he sees a bad omen for the Emperor on the following day. The Emperor did not heed the prophet and was killed on the 15th of March. A history professor has claimed, on the basis of this, that the Emperor was killed because the omen was real.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the professor's claim?

Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the professor's claim?

A. A survey conducted last year shows that over 83% of people above the age of 18 do not believe in omens.

Incorrect.

To solve this Conclusion Weakening question, first break down the argument. The first two sentences are premises which provide factual data; the last sentence includes a conclusion words (claimed, on the basis of that) so it's the conclusion:

Premise A: On the 14th of March the Emperor was warned of what might happen on the following day (the 15th).
 +
Premise B: The emperor wouldn't listen and was killed on the 15th.
 =
Conclusion: The death of the Emperor was the fulfillment of the omen.

Possible assumption: Both events occurred in the same year; the prophet did not conspire to kill the emperor.

Weakening Data: ?

You are required to find data that weakens the conclusion that the emperor's death was foreseen by the prophet. The correct answer could be one that exposes the argument's assumption.

This answer choice is irrelevant to the argument because the fact that most people don't believe in omens doesn't mean that they can't come true.

B. The prophet himself didn't believe in the omen he was prophesizing of.

Incorrect.

This answer choice is irrelevant to the argument. Though we expect people in general to believe in what they say, the fact that someone doesn't believe in what he or she is saying doesn't mean that what they are saying is wrong.

C. Four other prophets prophesized that very same day in the same city and none of their prophecies came true.

Incorrect.

This answer choice neither weakens nor strengthens the conclusion. The ratio of fulfilled to unfulfilled prophecies does not necessarily indicate whether the Emperor's death specifically was foreseen. Perhaps the other prophets were false and the emperor's was true? There is a better answer out there.

D. The prophecy was made on March the 14th, 49 B.C. and the Emperor was killed on March the 15th, 44 B.C.

This answer choice exposes \ attacks the argument's assumption that the prophecy and the death occured in the same year. The prophecy clearly predicted something bad happening the following day, so if the prophecy was off by five years (49 B.C. is five years before 44 B.C.) the conclusion that it foresaw the emperor's death is weakened.

E. Every former prophecy made by the prophet in question came true.

Incorrect.

To solve this Conclusion Weakening question, first break down the argument. The first two sentences are premises which provide factual data; the last sentence includes a conclusion words (claimed, on the basis of that) so it's the conclusion:

Premise A: On the 14th of March the Emperor was warned of what might happen on the following day (the 15th).
 +
Premise B: The emperor wouldn't listen and was killed on the 15th.
 =
Conclusion: The death of the Emperor was the fulfillment of the omen.

Possible assumption: Both events occurred in the same year; the prophet did not conspire to kill the emperor.

Weakening Data: ?

You are required to find data that weakens the conclusion that the emperor's death was foreseen by the prophet. The correct answer could be one that exposes the argument's assumption.

This answer choice strengthens the conclusion rather than weakening it. If all of our prophet's prophecies have come true, there are higher chances that the prophecy of danger to the emperor is no different.

VerbalBot · Answer

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On the 14th of March, the Emperor of the South was warned by a prophet

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On the 14th of March, the Emperor of the South was warned by a prophet

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