Foundations: Study Questions on Pratt's chapter

The chapter itself is found by clicking here.  Print it out and bring it with you to class.

Pratt is not simply stating opinions; he is giving arguments to back up those opinions. (This is typical of serious writing about the arts.) Since the reading is only a small part of his book, it does not contain arguments for all the claims made about the categories of music listed at the beginning, but you have enough of Pratt’s writing to be able to tell how he argues for the conclusion that traditional African music is primitive.

1. Before he can establish that African music is primitive, Pratt needs some premises. His premises consist of descriptive details concerning African music. List four or five such details that seem to be important to his argument.

2. Given what you have been exposed to in class in the way of traditional African music, do you think Pratt gets the above details correct? If not, where does he go wrong? (Note that you are here doing premise evaluation for his argument.)

3. Now pay attention to Pratt’s logic. Look for loopholes in his argument. That means you suppose his descriptive details are correct, and you ask whether that would show that African music is primitive. (Think about what “primitive” means in Pratt's argument. Try to figure out how Pratt thinks his descriptive details lead naturally to his conclusion. Look for hidden assumptions.) So, is Pratt’s argument logically strong? What implicit premises or background assumptions might he be relying on?

4. To whom is Pratt writing?  How can you tell?

5. Putting it all together, would you say Pratt's line of thinking is racist?  Why, or why not?