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why can't we use the negation test for weaken the argumnt questions? 25 Jul 2021, 23:28
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I know that we can always use the negation test for strengthen the argument questions. So why we can't always do it for weaken the argument questions?

Thanks

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why can't we use the negation test for weaken the argumnt questions? 26 Jul 2021, 03:44
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MartyTargetTestPrep, IanStewart, zhanbo, generis your opinion on this question will be helpful.
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why can't we use the negation test for weaken the argumnt questions? 26 Jul 2021, 05:04
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I know that we can always use the negation test for strengthen the argument questions. So why we can't always do it for weaken the argument questions?

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Weakening of an argument is to bring a convincing a reason that reduces the probability of the argument to hold true.

Denial of an argument (in negation method) is simply saying that it won't happen which is not weakening.
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why can't we use the negation test for weaken the argumnt questions? 26 Jul 2021, 19:24
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Negation test is useful to test the assumption of an argument.
To weaken the argument, select the option which goes against the assumption.

yuvi92
I know that we can always use the negation test for strengthen the argument questions. So why we can't always do it for weaken the argument questions?

Thanks
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why can't we use the negation test for weaken the argumnt questions? 26 Jul 2021, 21:37
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Thanks for the answers but I think you didn't understand my question.
I was wondering why can't we flip the the answers in "weaken the argument" questions. Meaning, why not to flip some possible answer and if it strengths the argument (like in "strengthen the argument" questions when we flip we look for the answer which weaken the argument) then it's the correct answer.

For example - OG 2017 New Question

Fast-food restaurants make up 45 percent of all restaurants in Cantaria. Customers at these restaurants tend to be young; in fact, studies have shown that the older people get, the less likely they are to eat in fast-food restaurants. Since the average age of the Canatrian population is gradually rising and will continue to do so, the number of fast-food restaurants is likely to decrease.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?

(A) Fast-food restaurants in Canatria are getting bigger, so each one can serve more customers.

(B) Some older people eat at fast-food restaurants more frequently than the average young person.

(C) Many people who rarely eat in fast-food restaurants nevertheless eat regularly in restaurants.

(D) The overall population of Canatria is growing steadily.

(E) As the population of Canatria gets older, more people are eating at home.

The answer is D and indeed if we flip answer D we get - The overall population of Canatria is not growing steadily.
This flipped sentence is strengthening the argument because if the overall population doesn't grow then the average age rises and, and because older people tend to less eat at fast food restaurants then the number of fast food is likely to decreade.

My question, of course, is in general, why can't we always use this technique for "weaken the argument" questions.
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why can't we use the negation test for weaken the argumnt questions? 27 Jul 2021, 02:18
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The negation test is normally used, not for Strengthen questions, but for Assumption questions. Since assumptions are not always easy to identify, the negation test can be useful in answering most Assumption questions because the negation test will turn the correct answer to an Assumption question into a weakener, and it's normally pretty straightforward to see that that weakener is indeed a weakener.

In Weaken questions, on the other hand, the correct answer is more straightforward to identify, than the correct answer to an Assumption question, because it's a weakener. So. there's no reason to negate a Weaken correct answer to create a strengthener. Doing so is just an extra step.

Also, negating a Weaken correct answer to make it a strenghtener doesn't necessarily do much for us. After all, a strengthener may be no easier to identify than the weakener that was negated to create the strengthener. In other words, if a test-taker didn't see that a weakener weakens the argument, the same test-taker may very well not understand how the negated version of that weakener strengthens the argument.
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why can't we use the negation test for weaken the argumnt questions? 30 Jul 2021, 04:07
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MartyTargetTestPrep
The negation test is normally used, not for Strengthen questions, but for Assumption questions. Since assumptions are not always easy to identify, the negation test can be useful in answering most Assumption questions because the negation test will turn the correct answer to an Assumption question into a weakener, and it's normally pretty straightforward to see that that weakener is indeed a weakener.

In Weaken questions, on the other hand, the correct answer is more straightforward to identify, than the correct answer to an Assumption question, because it's a weakener. So. there's no reason to negate a Weaken correct answer to create a strengthener. Doing so is just an extra step.

Also, negating a Weaken correct answer to make it a strenghtener doesn't necessarily do much for us. After all, a strengthener may be no easier to identify than the weakener that was negated to create the strengthener. In other words, if a test-taker didn't see that a weakener weakens the argument, the same test-taker may very well not understand how the negated version of that weakener strengthens the argument.
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Thanks for your detailed answer Marty!
So you're saying that it's always possible to negate the answers in Weaken the Conclusion questions and see which negation of an answer become a strengthener, but it is just no recommended because weaken question are easier to answer. Correct?
I'll clarify - my basic question is, regardless of time, will negating the answers in Weaken the Conclusion questions will always work or not?
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why can't we use the negation test for weaken the argumnt questions? 30 Jul 2021, 09:42
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yuvi92
Thanks for your detailed answer Marty!
So you're saying that it's always possible to negate the answers in Weaken the Conclusion questions and see which negation of an answer become a strengthener, but it is just no recommended because weaken question are easier to answer. Correct?
I'll clarify - my basic question is, regardless of time, will negating the answers in Weaken the Conclusion questions will always work or not?
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Logically, negating weakeners should always result in strenghteners. So, I guess it always works, though I have not tried it with many weakeners.
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why can't we use the negation test for weaken the argumnt questions? 31 Jul 2021, 00:31
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Logically, negating weakeners should always result in strenghteners. So, I guess it always works, though I have not tried it with many weakeners.
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Got it. Thanks a lot!

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