PrepTest 157, Section 3, Question 3
Bernard: We should not invite Carl to speak(85 more words not shown)
The dialogue provides the most(11 more words not shown)
- Aone should always(11 more words not shown)
- Bpeople will see(14 more words not shown)
- Cthe best way(12 more words not shown)
- Dpeople who hold(9 more words not shown)
- Eone should not(6 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
Both speakers want to fight Carl's ideas. They disagree about how to do it.
Bernard wants to keep Carl off the forum's stage. Giving the views an audience, he thinks, would make them seem legitimate and help them spread. We aren't told what the views actually are, so we can't independently judge them. But we can understand Bernard's concern about giving ideas he opposes more attention.
Ayla isn't coming to the ideas' defense. She wants them challenged where everyone can see the challenge. Imagine Carl presenting his position and another speaker showing the audience why it fails. Ayla thinks that public exchange would expose the problem; Bernard thinks providing the platform would promote the problem.
What we’re looking for
For the disagreement question, predict a difference in tactics: is allowing Carl to speak publicly part of the best way to defeat his ideas? Don't mistake an invitation to speak for agreement with the speaker. Ayla supports the invitation because she expects the forum to undermine the views.
Working the answers
- A
Ayla doesn't say that legitimizing unwanted views is acceptable. She thinks the forum will expose Carl's views as false, rather than give them the legitimacy Bernard fears. They can agree that legitimizing the views would be bad and disagree about whether this event would do it. The broad “always” rule isn't their stated disagreement.
- B
Ayla expects convincing arguments at this forum to expose Carl's views. That doesn't commit her to saying that every dangerous idea will be recognized as false whenever people hear forceful counterarguments. Nor does Bernard take a clear position on that universal claim. We need two opposed positions, not an expanded version of one speaker's prediction.
- CCorrect
Ayla explicitly says the best way to combat false views is to challenge them in public. That requires allowing the views to be expressed so they can be challenged. Bernard opposes providing that opportunity because he thinks it will help the ideas spread. They share the goal of fighting the ideas but disagree about this method.
- D
Ayla never says that people with false views are harmless. Wanting to refute a person's ideas publicly is consistent with thinking those ideas pose a danger. We don't have the disagreement this answer needs.
- E
Neither speaker wants dangerous views adopted. Bernard thinks inviting Carl would encourage their adoption; Ayla thinks public scrutiny would work against it. This answer gives their shared aim, not the disputed way to achieve it.
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