Which one of the following statements, if true, would weaken the author's claim that humans are musicking creatures?

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Accepted Answer

#### Step 1: Analyze the Author's Claim  
The author claims that humans are inherently "musicking creatures," suggesting that musicality is an innate and universal trait shared across humanity. This implies that musical capacities arise from biological and innate dispositions rather than being solely influenced by external factors like culture or environment.

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#### Step 2: Evaluate Each Option

1. **Option A: Musical capacities are primarily socio-cultural, which explains the wide diversity of musical forms.**  
   - If musical capacities are primarily socio-cultural (rather than biological or innate), this would challenge the author's claim that humans are naturally inclined to music-making as a shared trait across humanity.  
   - This directly weakens the argument by attributing musicality to external socio-cultural factors rather than inherent human nature.  
   - **This option weakens the claim and is correct.**

2. **Option B: Nonmusical capacities are of far greater consequence to human survival than the capacity for music.**  
   - The author does not argue that music is essential for survival but rather that it is a fundamental part of human nature.  
   - This statement does not address or weaken the claim about humans being "musicking creatures."  
   - **This option does not weaken the claim and is incorrect.**

3. **Option C: As musicking is neither language-like nor symbol-like, it is a much older form of expression.**  
   - This statement supports the idea that musicking is an ancient and innate human trait, aligning with the author's argument rather than weakening it.  
   - **This option supports the claim and is incorrect.**

4. **Option D: From a cognitive and psychological vantage, musicking arises from unconscious dispositions, not conscious ones.**  
   - This statement reinforces the idea that musicking stems from innate dispositions, which supports rather than weakens the author's claim about humans being naturally musicking creatures.  
   - **This option supports the claim and is incorrect.**

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### Final Answer:  
The statement that would weaken the author's claim is **A**, as it attributes musicality to socio-cultural factors rather than innate human nature.

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