Philosopher: The eighteenth-century thesis that motion is absolute asserts that the change in an object's position ov...
b_theoOctober 27, 2019
Premise vs Conclusion
I didn't pick C because the option said "premise" and I thought that the final sentence was more of a conclusion than a premise. What's the difference and how can I avoid making the same mistake in the future? Thanks!
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The argument can be broken down as follows: P: The thesis that motion is absolute asserts that change in an object's position over time can be measured without reference to the position of any other object. P: This thesis is incoherent, according to a well-respected physicist. P: A thesis that is incoherent cannot be accepted as a description of reality. C: Motion cannot be absolute.
You are correct that the last half of the final sentence in the passage is a conclusion, but the first half of that sentence functions as a premise as indicated by the word "since." A premise is a statement that supports a conclusion, and a conclusion is the claim of an argument that the rest of the passage supports.
Answer choice (C) states that the philosopher uses the argumentative technique of "relying on the authority of an expert to support a premise." This answer refers to the reliance on the "well-respected physicists" claim that the thesis is incoherent as support for the implied premise that the thesis is actually incoherent.
Going forward, I would suggest further work with these types of questions if you're looking for more practice. I would also recommend considering the process of elimination for answer choices. If you were unsure of (C) because of its use of the word "premise" you may be able to determine it is the best choice after eliminating the other choices.
Does that make sense? Please let us know if you have any other questions!
