Various studies have concluded that song overlapping, the phenomenon where one bird begins a song while another of its species is singing, is a signal of aggression. These studies are based solely on receiver-response tests, which seek to derive conclusions about the intent of a signal based on how others respond to it. However, any response—even no response—can be interpreted as a reaction to perceived aggression. Therefore, _______.

Summary
Studies have concluded that song overlapping is a signal of aggression. These studies are based solely on receiver-response tests, which derive conclusions about behavior based on how others respond to it. Any response, including no response, can be interpreted as a reaction to aggression.

Strongly Supported Conclusions
The studies are inconclusive in showing that song overlapping is a signal of aggression.

A
birds do not respond in a predictable manner to signals of aggression
This is unsupported because we don’t know how birds respond to the signal of aggression based on what the author tells us.
B
receiver-response tests can provide no insight into bird behavior
This is unsupported because even if receiver-response tests could perceive any response as aggression, there may be other ways they could provide insight into bird behavior outside of evaluating the purpose of song overlapping.
C
song overlapping is likely not a signal of aggression
This is unsupported because even though we have reasons to doubt the existing studies conclusion, we cannot go so far as to conclude the opposite. We merely have to acknowledge that the prevailing hypothesis is unsupported.
D
song overlapping has no communicative function
This is unsupported because song overlapping may be used to communicate even if we have reasons to doubt existing studies showing it is a signal of aggression.
E
the conclusion of these studies is unconvincing
This is strongly supported because the studies rely on a method that could show any response to be a signal of aggression. This means we have little reason to believe that song overlapping is uniquely a sign of aggression.

6 comments

John’s literature professor believes that the ability to judge the greatness of literary works accurately can be acquired only after years of specialized training. Such training is, in fact, what is required to become a literature professor. She is also well aware that the vast majority of the reading public does not have access to this specialized training.

Summary
John’s literature professor believes the ability to judge the greatness of literary works accurately requires years of specialized training. Such training is also required to become a literature professor. Moreover, most of the reading public does not have access to this training.

Notable Valid Inferences
Most of the reading public cannot judge the greatness of literary works accurately.
Most of the reading public are not literature professors.

A
John’s literature professor can judge the greatness of works of literature accurately.
Could be false. This answer choice confuses sufficiency for necessity. We know that literature professors have years of special training, but we don’t know if everyone with this training is also able to judge the greatness of literary works accurately.
B
Anyone who is not a literature professor cannot judge the greatness of works of literature accurately.
Could be false. We don’t have any information in the stimulus about people who are not literature professors. As shown on our diagram, there are no necessary conditions attached to the condition of not being a literature professor.
C
Specialized training like that received by John’s literature professor should be more broadly available to members of the reading public.
Could be false. The stimulus does not make a value judgment about what should occur. We are only given conditions in a matter-of-fact way.
D
Literature professors do not belong to the reading public.
Could be false. As shown on our diagram, we could only infer that most of the reading public are not literature professors.
E
The vast majority of the reading public is unable to judge the greatness of works of literature accurately.
Must be true. As shown below, we can combine the statements that most of the reading public does not have access to special training and that this special training is required for the ability to judge the greatness of literary works accurately.

10 comments

Legal theorist: Only two types of theories of criminal sentencing can be acceptable—retributivist theories, which hold that the purpose of sentences is simply to punish, and rehabilitationist theories, which hold that a sentence is a means to reform the offender. A retributivist theory is not acceptable unless it conforms to the principle that the harshness of a punishment should be proportional to the seriousness of the offense. Retributivist theories that hold that criminals should receive longer sentences for repeat offenses than for an initial offense violate this principle, since repeat offenses may be no more serious than the initial offense.

Summary

If a theory of criminal sentencing is acceptable, it must be (1) retributivist, OR (2) rehabilitationist.

If a retributivist theory is acceptable, then it MUST conform to the principle that harshness should be proportional to seriousness.

Retributivist theories that hold criminals should get longer sentences for repeat offenses do NOT conform to the principle that harshnes should be proportional to seriousness.

Very Strongly Supported Conclusions

Retributivist theories that hold criminals should get longer sentences for repeat offenses are NOT acceptable (because they violate the principle of proportionality).

A
No rehabilitationist theory holds that punishing an offender is an acceptable means to reform that offender.

The stimulus doesn’t tell us about what any rehabilitationist theory holds. We know that rehab. theories might be acceptable, but we don’t know anything about the specific content of rehab. theories.

B
Reforming a repeat offender sometimes requires giving that offender longer sentences for the repeat offenses than for the initial offense.

The stimulus doesn’t tell us what is required to reform a repeat offender. We know rehab. theories want to reform the offender. But we don’t know what’s required to reform an offender.

C
Any rehabilitationist theory that holds that criminals should receive longer sentences for repeat offenses than for an initial offense is an acceptable theory.

The stimulus tells us what’s necessary for being an acceptable theory — it must be rehab. or retributivist. But we don’t know what is sufficient to make something acceptable.

D
All theories of criminal sentencing that conform to the principle that the harshness of a punishment should be proportional to the seriousness of the offense are acceptable.

The stimulus tells us what’s necessary for being an acceptable theory — it must be rehab. or retributivist. But we don’t know what is sufficient to make something acceptable.

E
A theory of criminal sentencing that holds that criminals should receive longer sentences for repeat offenses than for an initial offense is acceptable only if it is a rehabilitationist theory.

Must be true, because we know that retributivist theories that hold criminals should receive longer sentences for repeat offenses are unacceptable. So if a theory that holds criminals should receive longer sentences for repeat offenses could possibly be acceptable, then it must be a rehab. theory.


35 comments

define: internalize
Psychology - make (attitudes or behavior) part of one's nature by learning or unconscious assimilation.
acquire knowledge of (the rules of a language).

define: retain
keep in one's memory.


21 comments