Passage Discussion

[CelineN599]

Can I get a scale for this?

[ohthatpatrick]

This passage Presents a Debate, but the author takes a third position.

So you could potentially say the scale was
JUDGES - we can minimize partiality by changing the venue, giving instructions to juries, and questioning potential jurors.

vs.

CRITICS - these techniques are not effective / realistic, in terms of their ability to to find jurors who are not coming into the trial with prior knowledge

meanwhile,
AUTHOR - Prior knowledge is fine. Let's just say that impartiality doesn't mean "oblivious to the case at hand". Let's say impartiality just means "representative, informed citizens".



If you wanted to make a scale that the author was actually on, you could think of the passage as
THE PEOPLE DEBATING OVER IMPARTIALITY TECHNIQUES: impartiality means that a juror has no prior knowledge of a case, such as exposure to mass media coverage of it.

vs.

THE AUTHOR: Impartial doesn't mean 'no prior knowledge'. It means being informed, representative, even opinionated citizens.


Hope this helps.