QUESTION TYPE: Method of Reasoning
CONCLUSION: Yang concludes yeast was known to be a leaven in 1200 BC. Campisi is unconvinced.
REASONING: Yang bases his conclusion based on the fact that the bible mentions leavens as early as 1200 BC. Campisi points out there were other leavens besides yeast – meaning it’s by no means certain that ancient people knew yeast was a leaven.
ANALYSIS: Yang is making an unstated assumption: yeast was the only leaven known to biblical peoples. Therefore, if they knew about leavens, they must have known yeast was a leaven.
If other leavens also existed, the argument is no good.
___________
- “I find your inference unconvincing.” Campisi is definitely not saying Yang’s conclusion is supported.
- CORRECT. Presumption is another way of saying unstated assumption. Here Yang presumes that yeast was the only possible leaven.
- Campisi considered the reason, and he found it unconvincing.
- Campisi didn’t say what was true (“a contrary conclusion”); she only said that Yang was wrong.
- Campisi didn’t disagree with Yang’s premises; she added to them, invalidating Yang’s conclusion.
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