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A history book written hundreds of years ago contains several inconsistencies. Some scholars argue that because the book contains inconsistencies, the author must have been getting information from more than one source.
The conclusion cited does not follow unless
  • a)
    authors generally try to reconcile discrepancies between sources
  • b)
    the inconsistencies would be apparent to the average reader of the history book at the present time
  • c)
    the history book’s author used no source that contained inconsistencies repeated in the history book
  • d)
    the author of the history book was aware of the kinds of inconsistencies that can arise when multiple sources are consulted
  • e)
    the author of the history book was familiar with all of the available source material that was relevant to the history book
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
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A history book written hundreds of years ago contains several inconsis...
The argument states that because a history book written hundreds of years ago contains inconsistencies, the author must have been getting information from more than one source. The conclusion drawn is that the author used multiple sources.
To identify the flaw, we need to find an answer choice that shows the conclusion does not necessarily follow from the premises. Let's analyze each answer choice:
(A) authors generally try to reconcile discrepancies between sources
  • This answer choice is irrelevant to the argument. It discusses authors' attempts to reconcile discrepancies between sources but does not address the claim that the author used multiple sources. It does not explain why the book contains inconsistencies.
(B) the inconsistencies would be apparent to the average reader of the history book at the present time
  • This answer choice is also irrelevant to the argument. It discusses whether the average reader can identify the inconsistencies but does not address the claim that the author used multiple sources.
(C) the history book’s author used no source that contained inconsistencies repeated in the history book
  • This answer choice correctly identifies the flaw in the argument. It suggests that the author may have used multiple sources, but those sources may have contained inconsistencies that are not repeated in the history book. Therefore, the presence of inconsistencies does not necessarily indicate the use of multiple sources.
(D) the author of the history book was aware of the kinds of inconsistencies that can arise when multiple sources are consulted
  • This answer choice is also irrelevant to the argument. It discusses the author's awareness of inconsistencies that can arise when multiple sources are consulted but does not address whether the author actually used multiple sources.
(E) the author of the history book was familiar with all of the available source material that was relevant to the history book
  • This answer choice is also irrelevant to the argument. It discusses the author's familiarity with all available source material but does not address whether the author actually used multiple sources.
Therefore, the correct answer is (C) because it identifies the flaw in the argument by suggesting that the author may have used multiple sources without repeating the inconsistencies found in those sources.
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A history book written hundreds of years ago contains several inconsis...
Understanding the Conclusion
The argument presented posits that the presence of inconsistencies in a historical book suggests that the author consulted multiple sources. However, for this conclusion to hold true, certain conditions must be met.
Analyzing Option C
The correct answer is option C, which states that "the history book’s author used no source that contained inconsistencies repeated in the history book." This option is crucial for the following reasons:
  • Source Reliability: If the author relied solely on a source that was consistent, then the inconsistencies in the history book cannot be attributed to multiple sources.
  • Direct Evidence: It directly challenges the assumption that inconsistencies imply multiple sources. If the author used a single source with inconsistencies, the conclusion would not hold.
  • Logical Structure: The argument hinges on the idea that discrepancies arise from consulting various sources. If the author only used one flawed source, it undermines the conclusion drawn about the use of multiple sources.

Why Other Options Fail
- Option A: While authors may attempt to reconcile discrepancies, it does not directly address the relationship between inconsistencies and the number of sources used.
- Option B: The awareness of readers does not impact the author’s source selection.
- Option D: Awareness of inconsistencies does not guarantee that the author consulted multiple sources.
- Option E: Familiarity with source material does not imply that the author used multiple sources.
In summary, option C is essential as it directly challenges the underlying assumption of the argument, making it the only condition under which the conclusion could be valid.
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A history book written hundreds of years ago contains several inconsistencies. Some scholars argue that because the book contains inconsistencies, the author must have been getting information from more than one source.The conclusion cited does not follow unlessa)authors generally try to reconcile discrepancies between sourcesb)the inconsistencies would be apparent to the average reader of the history book at the present timec)the history book’s author used no source that contained inconsistencies repeated in the history bookd)the author of the history book was aware of the kinds of inconsistencies that can arise when multiple sources are consultede)the author of the history book was familiar with all of the available source material that was relevant to the history bookCorrect answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
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