Philosophy student: Some objects that are considered beautiful by everyone who has observed them may not be, in fact, truly...
GMAT Two Part Analysis : (TPA) Questions
Philosophy student: Some objects that are considered beautiful by everyone who has observed them may not be, in fact, truly beautiful. To see that this is so, consider this: No one doubts that some objects that are appreciated by many people have aesthetic flaws that are discernible only to sophisticated observers. But even these sophisticated observers are limited by their finite intellects and experiences. Thus, an object that appears beautiful to the most sophisticated actual observers may nonetheless have subtle but severe aesthetic shortcomings that would make it appear hideous to hypothetical observers of even greater sophistication. Such an object would be ugly, regardless of any actual person's opinion.
In general, if an object \(\mathrm{1} \_\), then that object \(\mathrm{2} \_\). Select for 1 and for 2 the two different options that complete the sentence in such a way that it expresses a principle on which the philosophy student's argument relies. Make only two selections, one in each column.
Phase 1: Owning the Dataset
Argument Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
| "Some objects that are considered beautiful by everyone who has observed them may not be, in fact, truly beautiful." |
|
| "No one doubts that some objects that are appreciated by many people have aesthetic flaws that are discernible only to sophisticated observers." |
|
| "But even these sophisticated observers are limited by their finite intellects and experiences." |
|
| "Thus, an object that appears beautiful to the most sophisticated actual observers may nonetheless have subtle but severe aesthetic shortcomings that would make it appear hideous to hypothetical observers of even greater sophistication." |
|
| "Such an object would be ugly, regardless of any actual person's opinion." |
|
Argument Structure
- Main conclusion: Objects considered beautiful by everyone may not be truly beautiful
- Supporting logic:
- Popular appreciation can miss flaws (seen by experts)
- Expert perception is also limited
- Therefore, hypothetical super-experts might find "beautiful" things hideous
- Such objects are truly ugly
- Key assumption: True beauty/ugliness is determined by what hypothetical perfect observers would perceive
- Logical flow: Limitations of actual observers → Possibility of undetected ugliness → True ugliness exists regardless of actual opinions
Phase 2: Question Analysis & Prethinking
Understanding What Each Part Asks
We need to complete: "In general, if an object [1], then that object [2]."
This asks us to identify a conditional principle (if-then statement) that the philosophy student's argument relies on.
Prethinking Based on Question Type
This is asking for an underlying principle - we need to find the logical rule that makes the argument work.
Looking at the argument's core move: it concludes that objects are "ugly" based on how hypothetical super-sophisticated observers would view them.
Specific Prethinking for Each Part
- For Part 1: Something about hypothetical sophisticated observers finding it hideous
- For Part 2: Something about not being truly beautiful (or being ugly)
The principle seems to be: If hypothetical super-sophisticated observers would find something hideous, then it's not truly beautiful.
Phase 3: Answer Choice Evaluation
Evaluating Each Choice
Let's examine each option for both parts:
Option A: "is considered beautiful by everyone"
- Could work for Part 1, but the argument actually says these objects may NOT be truly beautiful
- Doesn't capture the key principle about hypothetical observers
Option B: "is thought by most observers to have some aesthetic flaws"
- This is about actual observers, not the hypothetical ones central to the argument
- Doesn't fit the principle we identified
Option C: "would appear hideous to hypothetical observers of even greater sophistication than the most sophisticated actual observers"
- Perfect for Part 1! This is exactly what the argument uses as its criterion
- Captures the key move in the reasoning
Option D: "is not truly beautiful"
- Perfect for Part 2! This is the conclusion drawn about such objects
- Matches what the argument says: "Such an object would be ugly"
Option E: "is not widely appreciated by unsophisticated observers"
- Irrelevant to the argument's principle
- The argument doesn't focus on unsophisticated observers
The Correct Answers
- For Part 1: C - "would appear hideous to hypothetical observers of even greater sophistication than the most sophisticated actual observers"
- For Part 2: D - "is not truly beautiful"
This creates the principle: "If an object would appear hideous to hypothetical observers of even greater sophistication than the most sophisticated actual observers, then that object is not truly beautiful."
This is exactly the principle the philosophy student uses to reach the conclusion!
Common Traps to Highlight
- Option A for Part 1: While the passage mentions objects "considered beautiful by everyone," this isn't the condition that determines true ugliness in the argument
- Option B: Focuses on actual observers' opinions about flaws, but the argument's principle is about hypothetical observers
- Option E: Completely misses the point about sophisticated vs. unsophisticated observers