Logical Reasoning

PT101 · S2 · Q3 A group of unusual meteorites was

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A group of unusual meteorites was found in Shergotty, India.

Conclusion (therefore)

The meteorites probably fell to Earth after being dislodged from Mars.

Evidence

The meteorites' structure indicates that they came from Mercury, Venus, or Mars.

But if it came from Mercury, it would have gotten sucked up by the Sun's gravity. If it came from Venus, it would have gotten sucked up by Venus's gravity.

Evaluate

The three most common moves on Method are 1) make / break an Analogy 2) show the Faulty Implications of someone's logic/plan 3) rule out / suggest Alternatives

This argument seems to be doing the 3rd, ruling out competing options.

This is when an argument starts with 2 or 3 possibilities, argues against all but one, and then concludes the last option standing.

Goal

Let's look for something like .

3.

The argument derives its conclusion by

  1. offering a counterexample to a

    Out of Scope (counterexample / theory)

    The only theory being discussed is the author's theory that these meteorites are from Mars. She certainly doesn't (and wouldn't) offer a counterexample to her own theory. Generally speaking, we'd see counterexamples paired up with general claims. If an argument said, "Children aren't as mature as adults", then a counterexample could point out a child who is at least as mature as a given adult. Undermining the "theories" that the meteorite came from Mercury or Venus is not the same as providing a counterexample. Counterevidence is considerations that make a given claim less plausible. Counterexamples are specific instances that don't conform to a general claim.

    1% picked this

  2. Correct

    eliminating competing alternative explanations

    Why this is right

    The author started with three possible explanations for the meteorites: Mercury, Venus, Mars. Then she made it seem implausible that Mercury or Venus could have been the source, and that's how she arrived at Mars as the most probable explanation.

    Skill tested: Method · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

    97% picked this

  3. contrasting present circumstances with past

    Unsupported Comparison (past vs. present)

    The argument never compares present day to past circumstances. We found meteorites in the present day. It's not actually clear whether they just arrived on Earth or are from the past. But the author talks about things like the Sun's gravity and Venus's gravity, which are ongoing features of our solar system, not differences between the present and the past.

    0% picked this

  4. questioning an assumption

    Out of Scope (assumption)

    To question someone's assumption, you need to have someone you're arguing with (or at least to sketch out an argument and then poke holes in it). By objecting, "These meteorites didn't come from Mercury, since any dislodged material from that planet would be captured by the Sun", it could feel like the author is questioning the assumption that "dislodged material from Mercury could land on Earth", but it's just an awkward fit for this argument because the author isn't arguing with anyone, so who is making this assumption that the author is questioning?

    0% picked this

  5. abstracting a general principle from

    Bad Conclusion Match (general principle)

    There's no general principle being inferred. The author is inferring that these specific meteorites probably came from Mars.

    1% picked this

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