Because no other theory

Answer choices

1. A

   Wrong Conclusion8% picked this

   Unless a phenomenon predicted by a scientific theory is unknown at the time the theory is developed, the theory should not be credited

   This addresses whether Einstein’s theory should be credited with the discovery of the advance of the perihelion of Mercury, while the conclusion of the argument is about whether the prediction of the phenomenon should count as evidence in favor of Einstein’s theory.

   8%
2. B

   Wrong Premise3% picked this

   A phenomenon that is predicted by a scientific theory should not count as evidence in favor of that theory unless the theory was

   This relationship would establish that if a theory was not developed with a phenomenon in mind, than that phenomenon should not count as evidence in favor of that theory. The evidence of this argument however, is that the theory was developed with the phenomenon in mind.

   3%
3. C

   Wrong Premise / Wrong Conclusion2% picked this

   Unless a theory can accurately account for all relevant phenomena that are already well known at the time of its development, it

   This principle misrepresents the evidence and the conclusion of the argument. Not accounting for all relevant phenomena is different than accounting for a specific phenomenon (the advance of the perihelion of Mercury) and the theory not being well supported is different than a specific phenomenon not counting as support for the theory.

   2%
4. D

   Correct68% picked this

   If a theory is adjusted specifically to account for some particular phenomenon, a match between that theory and that phenomenon should not count as

   Why this is right

   This provides the link between Einstein’s theory likely being adjusted to account for the advance of the perihelion of Mercury with the conclusion that the predictions made by Einstein’s theory about that phenomenon should not be counted as evidence in support of Einstein’s theory.

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

   68%
5. E

   Wrong Conclusion19% picked this

   If a theory is adjusted to generate the correct predictions for some phenomenon that is already known to the scientist developing the theory, the

   The conclusion of the argument is that the predictions made by Einstein’s theory about the advance of the perihelion of Mercury should not be counted as evidence in support of Einstein’s theory, while the conclusion asserted in this principle is that predictions should not be counted as predicting that phenomenon.

   19%