Passage Discussion

[tzyc]

The author says "strength" because even critics would support the movement but in later passage s/he suggests as if it is not his or their real intention to support it...
So how/why can the author support the movement?
Posner actually disagrees with the movement right?

Thank you

[maryadkins]

Let's start with a passage map:

P1: Introduces topic of discussion and its most notable critic--L&L movement claims to make lawyers more humane by introducing cross-interpretation between law and lit; RP criticizes it but recently offered qualified support.

P2: Discussion of one criticism--RP says reading lit as a lawyer isn't useful as legal questions are seldom at issue.

P3: Discussion of second criticism--RP says reading law as if its literature can "only confuse."

P4: Discussion of positive spin--RP says it has promise, maybe as a tribute to its power even though he believes it is "an entirely facetious undertaking."

Scale:

L&L does what it claims

v.

L&L does not actually do what it claims, but it is powerful
-Posner (thinks author)

...

To answer your question: yes, Posner acknowledges the strength of the movement in the sense that it is powerful in academic circles (lines 55-59), but the author believes Posner is ultimately critical of its actual value (line 55).

This passage is very much about what the author thinks about Posner's view of the l&l movement rather than about what the author himself/herself thinks of the l&l movement.

[DavidH327]

I have difficulty understanding "qualified support" in line 16 and the scale of author's opinion in general.

Paragraph 2 and Paragraph 3 show Posner rejecting L and L movement while Paragraph 4 suggests Posner considers it hopeful.
So I could guess maybe Posner expresses qualified support by showing signs of hope despite his criticism on L and L.

However, in line 48-52 suggests that although Posner might be trying to appease his detractors, he might be leaving it to others to draw the conclusion from his analysis that is factitious undertaking deserving no respect...

Wouldn't it be the case that 48-52 suggest Posner is noncommittal rather than expressing qualified support?

[ohthatpatrick]

Yeah, the author is saying that Posner EXPRESSES qualified support in a recent study.
The author is not saying that Posner truly supports L&L in any meaningful way.

You can hold a private position and a public position.

Posner's public position (in this study) is that L&L has some merit, and the author thinks Posner was motivated to hide his private position (disdain for L&L) because the L&L movement is powerful and has already made Posner squirm with negative attention.

The last line is saying:
"a rebuttal of L&L": Posner's actual feelings
and
"a tribute to the power L&L has": Posner's decision to sugarcoat his true feelings with qualified support

[DavidH327]

Thank you for clear explanations!!

Yeah, the author is saying that Posner EXPRESSES qualified support in a recent study.
The author is not saying that Posner truly supports L&L in any meaningful way.

You can hold a private position and a public position.

Posner's public position (in this study) is that L&L has some merit, and the author thinks Posner was motivated to hide his private position (disdain for L&L) because the L&L movement is powerful and has already made Posner squirm with negative attention.

The last line is saying:
"a rebuttal of L&L": Posner's actual feelings
and
"a tribute to the power L&L has": Posner's decision to sugarcoat his true feelings with qualified support