Which one of the following, if true, would most undermine the position held by opponents of the use of new technolog...
MazenMay 1, 2020
Why select D over A, when they both weaken?
TestMax please help,
Answer choice A also weakens the opponents' argument that the relationship between performer and audience will be abolished.
Lines 26 to 30: "Some even worry that technology will eliminate live performance altogether; performances will be recorded for home viewing, abolishing the relationship between performer and audience."
In weakening the opponents' argument, quoted above, I call your attention to "abolishing the relationship between performer and audience."
If we can show that the technology will not affect this relationship between audience and performer, or if we can show that technology enhances it thereby effecting the opposite of the opponents prediction, then we can weaken the opponents argument that technology will result in abolishing this relationship. No?
Answer-choice A states: "Surveys show that when recordings of performances are made available for home viewing, the public becomes far more knowledgeable about different performing artists."
Well, when the public or audience becomes "far more knowledgeable about different performers" as the result of technology, wouldn't that mean that mean that the public's relationship with these performers is strengthened, which is contrary to the opponents' forecast that technology will result in abolishing the relationship between performer and audience?
I understand that answer-choice D weakens the opponents as well as it states: "The distribution of recordings of artists' performances has begun to attract many new audience members to their live performances."
But what makes D superior to A?
"The opponents" conclude two arguments from technology: first, "that technology will eliminate live performance altogether"; and second, that performances recorded or home viewing will "abolish the relationship between performer and audience."
Answer-choice D weakens the first conclusion. But Answer-choice A weakens the second.
So please help understand why D is superior to A. Why?
Please respond.
I thank you in advance.
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I am also confuse with this question. I chose Answer choice A. I was surprise D was the answer.
Emil-KunkinMarch 22, 2022
Hi @mazen, and @tebanks, I think the question here relates to what constitutes the relationship between the performer and the audience. The critics bring up this point as a consequence of the decline in live performance. That is, if people only watch recordings, then the relationship between the artist and their audience will suffer. This implies that the cause of this relationship suffering would be people watching only recordings and not going to live events. The relationship in question only relates to that between an audience and a performer at a given live event. In this way, the second conclusion you identify is really a result of the first conclusion- that because there will be fewer performances, the relationship will suffer.
Answer choice A does not really relate to people going to more performances, at least not directly. The result that we are given in A is that people will "become more knowledgeable about" different artists. I don't think there is any connection between being knowledgeable about an artist and not losing the relationship of live performances. In order to preserve the artist/audience relationship, we must not lose live events. While being more knowledgeable might potentially lead people to go to more live events, that connection is tenuous at best and not made explicit.
