Critic: Political utility determines the popularity of a metaphor. In authoritarian societies, the metaphor of society as a human body governed by a head is pervasive. Therefore, the society-as-body metaphor, with its connection between society's proper functioning and governance by a head, promotes greater acceptance of authoritarian repression than do other metaphors, such as likening society to a family.
Which one of the following statements, if true, most weakens the critic's argument?
Critic: Political utility determines the popularity of a metaphor. In authoritarian societies, the metaphor of society as a human body governed by a head is pervasive. Therefore, the society-as-body metaphor, with its connection between society's proper functioning and governance by a head, promotes greater acceptance of authoritarian repression than do other metaphors, such as likening society to a family.
Which one of the following statements, if true, most weakens the critic's argument?
The correct option is A In authoritarian societies, the metaphor of society as a family is just as pervasive as the society-as-body metaphor
The critic's argument is that the metaphor of society as a human body is more pervasive than other metaphors such as society as a family. This metaphor is used in authoritarian societies and the popularity of a metaphor is determined by its political utility. Option (b) talks about justifying the legitimacy of its government which is irrelevant to the paragraph. Option (c) includes non-authoritarian societies which is outside the scope of the passage. Option (d) relates metaphors to an effort to maintain power which is not mentioned in the paragraph. Only option (a) manages to weaken the critic's argument by saying that society as family is as pervasive as society as human body.
In authoritarian societies, the metaphor of society as a family is just as pervasive as the society-as-body metaphor
The critic's argument is that the metaphor of society as a human body is more pervasive than other metaphors such as society as a family. This metaphor is used in authoritarian societies and the popularity of a metaphor is determined by its political utility. Option (b) talks about justifying the legitimacy of its government which is irrelevant to the paragraph. Option (c) includes non-authoritarian societies which is outside the scope of the passage. Option (d) relates metaphors to an effort to maintain power which is not mentioned in the paragraph. Only option (a) manages to weaken the critic's argument by saying that society as family is as pervasive as society as human body.
