Q7 - Murray: You claim senator Brandon

[b91302310]

I could eliminate (C) and (D). However, could anyone explain how to make a choice from (A), (B) and (E) ?

Thanks

[cyruswhittaker]

In asking for what both Murray and Jane agree with, the correct answer needs to represent an overlap in their statements, and the overlap needs to be something that both speakers are in accord with. Keep this requirement in mind as you narrow down the answer choices.

Answer Choice Breakdown:

(A): Although Jane would believe this to be true (known by the first sentence from Murray), Murray says that Jane is "wrong to make this criticism." Thus although this choice represents an overlap, the two speakers disagree rather than agree with this statement. As a result, it is incorrect.

(B): We can infer that Jane believes it is "wrong" for politicians to accept gifts from lobbyists, as indicated by her saying "...the same failings in others..." This inference would be derived on the assumption that "failing" is intended to represent an ethical judgment about "right" and "wrong." Generally, on this type of question, inferences should be approached with caution, and this was the first reason that I crossed this choice off. Also, Murray's statements do not support any such claim that she believes that this act is "wrong" on a general level. Thus, there is no overlap, and this choice is incorrect for this reason as well.

(E): Murray explicitly states that Jane avoided criticizing "other politicians" who accepted gifts from lobbyists. Thus, Murray agrees with this statement. Jane explicitly states that she has not "criticized the same failing in others," and this means that she too must agree that one or more politicians have accepted gifts from lobbyists. Since this statement represents an overlap and since both agree with it, this is the correct answer choice.

[bbirdwell]

First of all, note that in this question, we are looking for something on which the two parties agree.

So let's get the facts straight.

Murray:
Thinks Jane is wrong to criticize Senator Brandon for accepting gifts from lobbyists.

Thinks her criticism is motivated by personal dislike because she avoids criticizing other politicians who have done the same thing.

Jane:
Does dislike Senator Brandon.
Thinks that her lack of criticism for other politicians who have done the same thing does not mean Sen. Brandon should be excused.

Now we'll go through the choices and, for each of them, we'll note whether Murray and Jane agree or disagree with the choices. For some choices, we may not concretely know one way or another. Our job is to find the choice that says something that both people definitely agree with.

(A)
Murray: we don't know! He seems to defend Sen. Brandon, but he never actually reveals his beliefs about whether Sen. Brandon has accepted gifts.

Jane: agree

(B)
Murray: we don't know! Everything Murray says is in direct regard to Jane. He states no opinions of his own on the matter of gifts.

Jane: agree

(E)
Murray: agree! ("...other politicians who have done what you accuse Senator Brandon of doing.")

Jane: agree! Senator Brandon, and the "same failing in others..."

[wgutx08]

I was reluctant to pick E because I thought Jane does not necessarily agrees with it. Imagine she says this

"That I have not criticized the same failing in others is because the others do not have the same failing! I was not avoiding criticizing them, Senator Brandon is just the only one who does it!"

I think she may have mentioned the phrase" same failing in others" just because it is a conversation and she is answering the accusation from Murray.

Can someone please help me with this one?

[dmt137]

The word "criticism" in Murray's argument tripped me up. Gives me the idea he thought the act in question is wrong thus causing me to choose B

[christine.defenbaugh]

I was reluctant to pick E because I thought Jane does not necessarily agrees with it. Imagine she says this

"That I have not criticized the same failing in others is because the others do not have the same failing! I was not avoiding criticizing them, Senator Brandon is just the only one who does it!"

I think she may have mentioned the phrase" same failing in others" just because it is a conversation and she is answering the accusation from Murray.

Can someone please help me with this one?

An excellent question wgutx08!

You raise an excellent point that the phrase "just because I have not criticized the same failing in others" does not necessarily mean that she believes any others even have that same failing. She is simply acknowledging her lack of criticism.

But even so, she most certainly believes that Senator Brandon himself has accepted gifts from lobbyists. Therefore, she must believe that "one or more politicians" have done so - Senator Brandon, at least!

Strange as it may seem, agreeing on the statement in (E) does not require that Murray and Jane agree on which politicians they think have accepted gifts from lobbyists. They only have to agree that some politician(s) exist(s) who do.

Does that clear it up?

The word "criticism" in Murray's argument tripped me up. Gives me the idea he thought the act in question is wrong thus causing me to choose B

I'm not sure exactly what you mean. "Criticism" is a negative word, but he's describing Jane's criticism of Senator Brown. That reveals nothing about what Murray thinks about the act.

Could you elaborate?

[GM547]

WHY NOT B?

It seems both agree accepting gift from lobbyist is not a good thing. So Jane accused Brandon doing this, and Murray tried to defend. If that is a good thing, then no way this talk will take place.

[ohthatpatrick]

For ID the Disagreement / Agreement, you have to be able to infer each person's position on whatever claim is made in a given answer choice.

Can you infer from Murray's claims whether he thinks it's wrong for politicians to accept gifts from lobbyists?

Remember, that inference doesn't mean the loose thing we mean by it in real life (something like, "can you reasonably speculate"). It means, "can you prove it?"

Your way of thinking about this .... "this conversation wouldn't even take place if these feelings weren't in place" ... is not going to be a valid way to make inferences or to judge answer choices when they ask "What is this guy assuming?"

They don't ever want us to psychoanalyze the situation and make OTHER suppositions about what these people would believe. They want us to only analyze the explicit claims made. Nothing in Murray's paragraph gives us ammunition for him saying that it's wrong for politicians to accept lobbyists' gifts.

Murray's words are compatible with someone who is merely trying to tell Jane she is being hypocritical.

He could believe that accepting lobbyists' gifts is fine, but still decide to critique Jane based on her inconsistency.

Meanwhile, with the correct answer (E), note how it is possible to infer Murray and Jane's assent to this claim by reading their explicit claims.

Murray: "other politicians who HAVE done what you accuse Senator B of doing [accepting gifts from lobbyists]"

Jane: "the same failing in others / the senator's offense" = [accepting gifts from lobbyists]