Logical Reasoning

PT150 · S2 · Q23 It has been argued that the immense size

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It has been argued that the immense size of Tyrannosaurus rex would have made it so slow that it could only have been a scavenger, not a hunter, since it would not have been able to chase down its prey.

Conclusion

This is an overly hasty inference. (i.e. the fact that T. Rex was huge and heavy and slow doesn't necessarily mean it wasn't a hunter)

Evidence

If T. Rex's prey were larger than T. Rex, then the prey would probably be even slower. (So even if T. Rex is slow, as long as it had prey that was even slower, it would be fast enough to hunt down that prey)

Evaluate

Like on tons of Main Conclusion and Role questions, the conclusion here is found earlier than the evidence, and as part of a rebuttal.

COUNTERPOINT It has been argued that ... AUTHOR's PIVOT This, however, is [wrong]. SUPPORT If the prey were slower ...

The claim we're being asked about is the "hasty inference". It is the counterpoint the author is arguing against.

Goal

Look for something like Counterpoint, Opposing Position, , etc.

23.

The claim that T. rex could only have been a scavenger, not a hunter, plays which one of the following roles in the argument?

  1. It is a hypothesis that

    Too Strong: logically inconsistent

    Logically inconsistent means the same thing as "contradictory", which is an incredibly strong accusation. Our author isn't saying that anyone has contradicted anyone else. She is just saying, "It would be premature to assume that hypothesis is true. That hypothesis may be false, if T. Rex's prey were even slower than it.

    13% picked this

  2. It is a hypothesis that

    Too Strong: probably false

    When an author says "you made a hasty inference", she's saying "your conclusion wasn't proven by your evidence". That doesn't mean the conclusion is more likely to be wrong than right. It just means that there is still some doubt about whether the conclusion is right. The argument is only contending that the hypothesis could be false.

    37% picked this

  3. Correct

    It is a hypothesis that

    Why this is right

    The author calls this hypothesis "a hasty inference", which is saying "it is premature to draw your conclusion. Your evidence has not fully proved your conclusion (it was insufficient to prove it)." She undermines the hypothesis by showing how it could be false, if T. Rex had even-slower prey. Is the fact that T. Rex was heavy and slow sufficient to show that T. Rex didn't hunt? No. It's possible that T. Rex hunted animals bigger and slower than it was.

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

    45% picked this

  4. It is offered as evidence

    Wrong Role Too Strong: false

    This claim isn't evidence for a hypothesis. It is the hypothesis. And the author doesn't conclude that the hypothesis is false, just that it hasn't yet been proven (hasty to conclude it).

    4% picked this

  5. It is offered as evidence

    Wrong Role

    We're looking for something like Counterpoint / Thing the Author is Objecting to. It wouldn't make sense to say that a Counterpoint is an idea the author needs to draw her conclusion. Why would you need an opposing point in order to draw your conclusion?

    1% picked this

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