Q4

[LSAT-Chang]

What is wrong with answer choice (C)??? I couldn't find evidence to support (E)... Wouldn't (C) be a direct counterattack to the advocate's claim since if a group is a community only if its members inhabit the same geographic location, then no matter what, computer conferences cannot constitute a "community".

[bigtree65]

Yes can someone please explain why its not C?

[OrenBarb]

I originally selected answer choice C as well, but upon review I can see why it's wrong. If you chose C like myself, you most likely interpreted this question as an inference question. If we are inferring what principle the author would invoke to counter the advocates claim, then C would be perfectly acceptable. However, this is not what the question is asking of us. Notice the line reference, which points us directly to a claim made by the advocate. As such, we are looking for a principle the author actually uses in the passage to refute this claim. If we look at the beginning of paragraph 3, the author details why conferences "fall short" as communities, specifically because they "discriminate along educational and economic lines." Answer choice E expresses.

[noah]

Great write-up, OrenBarb. Let me add my own:

In this question we're asked to identify what is the most likely response the author would make to the claim that online conferences can function as communities.

The author has one basic argument: online conferences are not diverse. (E) is the best answer since it includes the requirement that the community be diverse. It's tricky since it references a sense of interdependence, and we never learn whether online conference members feel interdependent. However, we know that the sense of interdepence is part of a traditional community (line 3), thus it's not a far jump to assuming the author believes that a true community would include this feature.

(A) is contradicted - computer conference members do feel this! We want a characteristic that the author uses to exclude computer conferences.

(B) is similar to (A) - there is an online conference etiquette.

(C) is tempting since computer conference members are not in the same location. However we want an answer the author would use - and the author isn't stating that the reason computer conferences are not true communities is the geography issue. He is saying that the shared interest doesn't replace shared geography because of a lack of diversity. Conceivably, the author would be OK with a diverse online community in which the members live in various places.

(D) is contradicted! Online conferences are homogenous.

[gplaya123]

Hey Noah,
I have a question.

So C would be wrong also because the author never says that computer conference can never be equated with that of community right?

He just says that computer conference is inadequate compared to a community because it lacks genuine diversity.

[noah]

Hey Noah,
I have a question.

So C would be wrong also because the author never says that computer conference can never be equated with that of community right?

He just says that computer conference is inadequate compared to a community because it lacks genuine diversity.

C is wrong in my opinion for the reason I wrote above - he or she never states the lack of shared geography as a reason computer conferences are not communities. Tell me if you think I'm missing something.

[agersh144]

I get why E is correct but I think a case can be made for (c). He says that actual communities are "non-intentional" (line 56) whereas internet communities are perforce intentional -- forum posters don't just happen to exist in cyberspace they excercise their own volition by selecting groups/websites to visit and participate in. Moreover the author makes clear that despite the fact that common ground in computer conferences is possible this "it would still be unfortunate" because it might cut them off from "valuable interactions in their own towns or neighborhoods" (i.e. real community). Consequently we can put these two bits of information together to infer that perhaps the rejoinder to the advocates of line 15 could be -- despite your good intentions community is, ipso facto, non-intentional and geographic in nature and thus your claims don't qualify given the aforementioned criteria.

[543837000]

(E) is the best answer since it includes the requirement that the community be diverse. It's tricky since it references a sense of interdependence, and we never learn whether online conference members feel interdependent. However, we know that the sense of interdepence is part of a traditional community (line 3), thus it's not a far jump to assuming the author believes that a true community would include this feature.

You picked this one because interdependence is a part of traditional community in line 3, but just in line 2 it also mentions a common location. I accept that location in C is not used as a reason for the author to rebute the advocates'claim, and by the same token, I don't see why interdependence is a reason.
Hope you can figure it out.