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Location: Question Formation and Analysis 5
Discussion: The numbers game
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gogan |
The numbers game
Mar 10 2008, 2:17 PM EDT
In Chapter 21 “3.3 Million Books, 358 Millions Dollars,” Baker sarcastically notes that Robert M. Hayes “did some arithmetic” before Baker, himself, outlines the assumed relationship between these numbers (175). Baker refers to Hayes’s work as “sift[ing] through all the statistical deterioration surveys… pulling percentages from dozens of places, cleaving to the ideal of consistency wherever possible” (175). Admitting that he is “not sure [he] can follow” particular calculations, Baker acknowledges his own overt attempt to question Hayes’s use of numbers (177). At the same time, however, Baker’s own argument relies upon numbers (for example, just think of the numbers of original newspapers destroyed). In your opinion, how does Baker’s treatment of numbers affect his argument?
Do you find this valuable?
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danleelawson |
1. RE: The numbers game
Mar 12 2008, 11:51 AM EDT
This question asks the reader to be somewhat skeptical of Baker’s claims, but it does not presuppose a right or wrong answer. Brian asks the reader to engage in an evaluative assessment of Baker’s claims: if we are not permitted by Baker to take others’ “numbers” at face value, why should we take his? This is complicated by Brian’s allusion to Baker’s professed inability to follow Hayes’ work; this complication seems to be a rhetorical strategy on Brian’s part to further the reader’s skepticism.The question itself is relatively simple (i.e. “what’s your opinion”) but as it is prefaced with the references to the text, Brian is selectively directing our attention to the more problematic instances of Baker’s own attempts. I don’t get a sense that Brian is necessarily cynical, but rather is asking for something that I and others in the class have asked out of Baker: a bit more clarity and actual comparison of these figures rather than a mere dismissal of those that do not fit into Baker’s own assessment. That said, the question does not explicitly ask us to seek out information elsewhere, but I think an argument can be made that Brian implies that we could hold Baker’s treatment against the outside sources which Baker only alludes to. That said, the question assumes the ability to intelligibly juxtapose these figures (and I agree). Because of the critical and self-contained nature of the question, the persona that Brian adopts here is one of a student: he does not presume to offer an alternative, but merely asks the reader to form an opinion based on the present evidence. Do you find this valuable? |
