Q14 - Sharon heard her favorite novelist

[hyewonkim89]

I struggled with this question a lot.

I was down to (D) and (E) and ended up picking (E).

Is (E) wrong because Sharon's favorite novelist isn't an allegiance that's new to her?

But "source of the testimony" in (D) really threw me off. So I didn't like this answer choice too much..

Help!

[wizzard880]

So let's look at the differences between D and E.

D: "doubts about the source of the testimony" (the novelist).... and "rather than the correctness of the opinion" (whether or not whatever the novelist said about the PC is correct)....

E: So we know from the STIM that sharon "supported" the PC for many years. But we have no idea how long she has been a fan of her favorite novelist. Maybe sharon just read all of the novelists books this past week and fell in love with her work, so she only recently became her favorite novelist. Hence this is wrong.

[rinagoldfield]

Hi Hye! Thanks for your question.

This question type is sort of like a reverse principle example question. We’re given a scenario, and have to relate it to a more general principle.

The scenario here is about competing beliefs and changing perceptions. Sharon has a favorite novelist. She also has a long-time favored politician. The novelist announces he doesn’t like the politician. What does Sharon do? She holds onto her political beliefs, but starts to like the novelist less.

We want to name the principle that’s bigger than the specific subject matter here (i.e. Sharon). So let’s relate this to another set of circumstances. Let’s say I have a friend named Jazzifer who I think is really smart. I also have also always believed in science. Jazzifer starts talking about how science is baloney. As a result, I think Jazzifer is a little less smart, and I continue to think science is onto something.

Both of these situations boil down to a person who thinks favorably about two things. Thing 1 speaks poorly about Thing 2. Person therefore likes Thing 1 less.

(D) relates to the principle here perfectly. Someone (Sharon) hears a testimony (the novelist’s) that contradicts a long-held belief (she’s liked the politician "˜for years’). She doubts the source of the testimony (the novelist) rather than her belief (the politician is good).

When in doubt, replace abstract vaguery with concrete terms.

In terms of the wrong answer choices:

(E) is very tempting! I see why you liked it. BUT we don’t know for how long Sharon has liked the novelist.

(C) and (B) bring up what someone "should" do. But there are no "shoulds" in the original scenario.

(A) talks about dedicated fans... but maybe Sharon is dedicated! That’s not what’s at stake. The issue here is about competing beliefs, not any old political statement or dedicated-ness.

Hope that helps!

[ttunden]

I actually eliminated D and picked E. both during the test and in blind review

The thing I didn't like about D is that it says "entertain doubts about the source." I interpreted that to mean have doubts about the source, meaning not believing that it came from person A but that it instead came from person B. Or interpreting it as an ad hominem. Not only that we didn't see anything in the stimulus about Sharon saying anything about the opinion itself whether it is correct or not.

The problem with E is that the 1st half is very tempting, I just didn't really analyze the 2nd half. it is saying people are more likely to renounce an allegiance that is new to them, than to renounce an allegiance that they have had for a long time. There was no renouncement of a new allegiance. I guess I interpreted that to be Sharons estimation of the novelist declining. However, we don't know if the novelist is a new allegiance, it could have been her favorite novel for just as long as the candidate or close.

your thoughts Manhattan staff?

[contropositive]

Is A also wrong because it does not apply it to a particular person?
The argument is talking about Sharon; her beliefs and perceptions. A is not talking about a particular person changing beliefs and perceptions like answer choice D is doing.

[LsatCrusher822]

Is A also wrong because it does not apply it to a particular person?
The argument is talking about Sharon; her beliefs and perceptions. A is not talking about a particular person changing beliefs and perceptions like answer choice D is doing.

I think A is more wrong because we don't know if Sharon is part of the "most dedicated fans"

Also, the action/verb in the stimulus is not necessary about somebody having influence over another. Rather its about one person thinking less of somebody else who the first person used to like.