Logical Reasoning

PT125 · S4 · Q13 The highest mountain ranges

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The highest mountain ranges are formed by geological forces that raise the earth's crust: two continent-bearing tectonic plates of comparable density collide and crumple upward, causing a thickening of the crust.

Apparent Paradox

The highest mountain ranges are formed by geological forces that raise the earth’s crust.

The erosive forces of wind and precipitation inexorably wear these mountains down.

Yet the highest mountain ranges tend to be found in places where these erosive forces are most prevalent.

Evaluate

The conflict is that the place where the highest mountain ranges occur is the same place where the strongest erosive forces exist. How can this be explained? If those erosive forces somehow depend on the highest mountain ranges, this could explain why the highest mountains exist where they have the most destructive force working against them.

13.

Which one of the following, if true, most helps to reconcile the apparent conflict described above?

  1. Correct

    Patterns of extreme wind and

    Why this is right

    This suggests that the mountains cause the erosive forces thereby explaining why the two are so positively correlated.

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

    72% picked this

  2. The highest mountain ranges have

    Deepens the Paradox

    This makes it harder to understand how the highest mountains can withstand such prevalent erosive forces.

    13% picked this

  3. Some lower mountain ranges are

    Out of Scope

    Lower mountain ranges are not relevant to explaining the positive correlation between the highest mountain ranges and the prevalence of erosive forces.

    2% picked this

  4. The amount of precipitation that

    Too Weak

    Since the precipitation may vary in a given region, it’s certainly possible that an area with high mountains sometimes receives more precipitation than at others. The statements however are about a generality and this does nothing to weaken the stated correlation. Nor does it address wind.

    7% picked this

  5. The thickening of the earth's

    Too Weak

    This may reduce the height of the highest mountain ranges, but they still remain the highest mountain ranges. That they may not be as high as they could have been does not change the apparent conflict.

    5% picked this

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