Assess the following as probably true, as probably false, as requiring further documentation before judgment, or as a claim that cannot properly be evaluated. Consider both the nature of the claim and the source.According to a Baron Gottfried von Swieten, King Frederick of Prussia claimed that he had once given a chromatic theme to Johann Sebastian Bach, who had immediately made of it a fugue in four parts, then in five parts, and finally in eight parts.-From H. T. David and A. Mendel, The Bach Reader, reported in Gödel, Escher, Bach, by Douglas R. Hofstadter
What will be an ideal response?
Probably false. One needs to know something of music to realize how incredible this remark is. To improvise a six-part fugue is nearly beyond imagination (Hofstadter likens it to playing sixty games of chess simultaneously while blindfolded and winning them all). Even Bach, whose genius strains credibility on many counts, is unlikely to have been able to improvise an eight-part fugue. Presumably either King Frederick or the good Baron was doing some exaggerating.
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Egoism relies on a sense of personal identity called
a. atomistic. b. realistic. c. the id. d. natural law.
Bacon believed that the scientific method required diligence rather than intellectual genius to be effective
Indicate whether the statement is true or false.Why does Paul write the conclusion of Galatians in his own large handwriting?
a. He wanted the Galatians to know that the letter was authentically Pauline b. He wanted to make his closing rhetorical point more emphatic c. He wanted to ensure its correct copying by Galatian scribes d. The person reading the letter out loud would have eyestrain by that point.
In "Since the higher incidence of Down Syndrome in infants born to women over 40 points to advanced maternal age as one likely cause of this affliction, women over 40 should think twice before deciding to bear children" the missing premise is
A) Down Syndrome in newborns is a condition to be avoided if possible. B) Scientists are saying that they don't know what causes Down Syndrome. C) Advanced maternal age doesn't affect the incidence of Down Syndrome.