Okay, and is your argument that we find and hold against their retrospective because there is some, at least plausible basis should so argument, to say that there can be a causal connection between the retrospective extension and some benefit that can be traced to those particular works through the retrospective extension, like dissemination? Is that your argument?
This is the speaker's attempt to clarify their understanding of what someone else is saying. 
Saying "is your argument that..." and ending with "is that your argument?" indicates they are trying to clarify their understanding of what someone else is saying. 
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