Logical Reasoning

PT123 · S3 · Q9 Naturalist: The recent claims that

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Naturalist: The recent claims that the Tasmanian tiger is not extinct are false.

Opposing Point

In spite of alleged sightings of the animal.

Evidence

The Tasmanian tiger’s natural habitat was taken over by sheep farming decades ago, resulting in the animal’s systematic elimination from the area.

Since then naturalists working in the region have discovered no hard evidence of its survival, such as carcasses or tracks.

Conclusion

The recent claims that the Tasmanian tiger is not extinct are false, the Tasmanian tiger no longer exists.

Evaluate

The argument assumes that because there is no evidence the tiger lives in the region that the tiger is extinct. If the tiger does not exist in that region but does exist in another region, then the Tasmanian tiger would not be extinct.

9.

Which one of the following is an assumption on which the naturalist's argument depends?

  1. Sheep farming drove the last

    Too Strong

    Sheep farming played a role in the tiger’s disappearance, but to specifically assert that it drove the tiger’s to starvation is more precise than the argument needs to assume.

    5% picked this

  2. Some scavengers in Tasmania are

    Weakens

    This weakens the argument by providing an alternative explanation for why the naturalists have not found hard evidence of the tiger’s survival.

    2% picked this

  3. Every naturalist working in the

    Too Strong

    The argument does not need to assume that every naturalist working in the Tasmanian tiger’s natural habitat has looked for the tiger.

    6% picked this

  4. Correct

    The Tasmanian tiger did not

    Why this is right

    This defends the argument from a possibility that would undermine the argument’s assumption.

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

    83% picked this

  5. Those who have reported sightings

    Too Strong

    While this weakens the opposing point, it is not necessary for the argument to be valid.

    4% picked this

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