Powerful Q Types

Question 1

Strengthen

Answer 1

• most helps to + justify/strengthen/support
• look for the most powerful things to help the argument’s conclusion
• the answer patches up the weakness exposed by the loophole
• can be general or specific
• Does this make the conclusion more likely to be true?

Question 2

Weaken

Answer 2

• most undermines the conclusion
• look for the most powerful thing to destroy the argument
• the answer is a loophole
• Does this make the conclusion less likely to be true?

Question 3

Sufficient Assumption (SA)

Answer 3

• enable the conclusion to be properly drawn
• the conclusion follows logically if
• justify the conclusion
• look for the most powerful thing to prove the conclusion 100% valid
• build an ironclad bridge between premises & conclusion
• If this is true, is the argument 100% valid?

Question 4

Counter

Answer 4

• in response to
• look for the most powerful thing the 1st speaker could say to destroy the 2nd speaker’s argument
• Is this something the 1st speaker would say & does it hurt the 2nd speaker’s argument?

Question 5

Contradiction

Answer 5

• cannot be true
• violate the principle
• could be true EXCEPT
• look for the thing that contradicts literal words from the stimulus
• something that can’t exist in the world of the stimulus
• Does this contradict the stimulus?

Question 6

Evaluate

Answer 6

• most helpful to know/relevant to evaluating
• look for a powerful pop quiz for the argument’s validity
• Is this crucial for the argument’s validity?

Question 7

Resolution

Answer 7

• most helps to + explain/resolve.account for
• discrepancy/paradox/surprising result
• look for the most powerful thing to make the paradox make sense
• make it more general
• Does this make the paradox make sense?