Logical Reasoning

PT107 · S4 · Q11 Sometimes when their trainer gives

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Sometimes when their trainer gives the hand signal for “Do something creative together," two dolphins circle a pool in tandem and then leap through the air simultaneously.

Conclusion

Dolphins are capable of higher cognitive functions, possibly including the use of language and forethought.

Evidence

When given the "Do something creative together" signal, two dolphins sometimes circle and leap, other times do synchronized backward swims, other times tail-waving.

These behaviors are not simply learned responses to a stimulus.

Evaluate

In a sense this is an Explain Curious Fact argument, because we're trying to interpret how / why the dolphins respond as they do to the hand signal for "do something creative together".

The author explains it as the result of higher cognitive functions (perhaps including language / forethought).

Is there an alternate way to explain it? Could some lower cognitive function account for their behavior?

Goal

When we're strengthening an Explain Curious Fact argument, the correct answer usually makes the author's hypothesis more plausible, but it might involve undermining an alternate explanation.

So let's look for more evidence that dolphins are capable of higher cognitive functions, or look for an answer that undermines some alternate explanation for their "creative" behavior.

11.

Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?

  1. Mammals have some resemblance to

    No Impact

    Wow what a weak and obvious statement. No kidding, mammals share some resemblance to each other? That's probably why they are all grouped together under the term 'mammals'! That mammals share some bodily and brain similarities is too vague to support the specific claim about dolphin cognition. We can't stretch this to mean that dolphins, who are mammals, have higher cognitive functions like human mammals do.

    4% picked this

  2. Correct

    The dolphins often exhibit complex

    Why this is right

    This makes it more plausible that the dolphins have higher cognitive functions, since their responses are "complex". And it rules out the possibility that the dolphins just choose from 2 or 3 pre-fabbed tricks (remembering a trick seems like a lower cognitive accomplishment). We can tell that the dolphins' behaviors aren't just learned responses if they often exhibit new responses to the signal.

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

    78% picked this

  3. The dolphins are given food

    Opposite

    If anything, this weakens the argument. Food incentives provide a straightforward stimulus-response explanation: the dolphins do whatever they've learned earns food. That's consistent with simple training, not higher cognition. We need support for the higher-cognition claim, not an alternative explanation that undermines it.

    0% picked this

  4. Dolphins do not interact with

    No Impact

    Whether dolphins interact differently with humans than with each other doesn't bear on whether their "do something creative" behaviors reflect higher cognition. We would assume that every species, no matter its cognitive level, interacts differently with other members of its species than it does with humans.

    4% picked this

  5. Some of the behaviors mentioned

    No Impact

    If wild dolphins also do these behaviors, does that suggest that the behaviors are part of a natural repertoire rather than products of cognitive flexibility in response to the trainer's signal? At best, it's unclear what impact this would have and it's also a very weak claim.

    14% picked this

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