PT153 S2 Q9 ExplanationEllen: A group of economists and ecologists

Answer choices, explained

1. A

   Correct85% picked this

   Estimating the dollar value of the biosphere?s essential services is an appropriate way of providing a rationale for making protection of

   Why this is right

   We can support that Ellen AGREES with this, since she talks about the estimated dollar value of the biosphere's essential services and then moves from that estimate to the idea that "we should therefore make protection of the biosphere a high priority". Since her rationale for protecting the biosphere is its estimated dollar value, she implicitly considers that an appropriate rationale. We can support that Santiago DISAGREES with this; we can support that he thinks that estimating the dollar value of the biosphere is not an appropriate rationale. After all, he says he's "uncomfortable with the idea of calculating the biosphere's dollar value in order to justify protecting it".

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

   85%
2. B

   Unsupported Disagree Position4% picked this

   The biosphere?s most important value lies in something other than the services it provides

   We can support that Santiago would AGREE with this, because his 2nd sentence is implying that the biosphere's most important value is not the services it provides us. But the DISAGREE position is that "The biosphere's most important value is the services it provides to human beings". Can we derive that extreme claim from Ellen's paragraph? No. She doesn't use any language like "most important value". She's only saying, "Damn, $33 trillion is a lot. We should make protecting this biosphere a high priority". She clearly thinks that the services the biosphere provide us with have enough value that they merit making protection a high priority. But we can't derive any opinion about about what Ellen thinks is the biosphere's most important value, nor could we limit it to "serving humankind". Ellen may think that "the services the biosphere provides to all life forms is its most important value".

   4%
3. C

   Out of Scope: most effective2% picked this

   Calculating the dollar value of the biosphere?s essential services is the most effective way to ensure that protecting the biosphere is treated

   We can't support the AGREE or DISAGREE position on this answer, because neither author uses the extreme term "most effective" way to protect. Santiago is uncomfortable with Ellen's way of justifying efforts to protect the biosphere. He isn't objecting to the potential ineffectiveness of her way; he's objecting more to its symbolic implications.

   2%
4. D

   Unsupported Agree Position1% picked this

   The idea that the dollar value of the biosphere?s essential services can be accurately

   Ellen implicitly DISAGREES with this. She bases a conclusion off an estimate of the biosphere's dollar value, so she takes that estimate somewhat seriously. Thus, she'd probably say "it's realistic to estimate, at least, the dollar value of the biosphere's essential services". But we wouldn't be able to derive the AGREE position from Santiago. He isn't saying it's unrealistic to calculate a dollar value for the biosphere. He's just saying it's gross and sends the wrong message that the biosphere is just an economic resource here to serve us.

   1%
5. E

   Unsupported Disagree Position8% picked this

   Calculating the dollar value of the biosphere?s essential services implies that the biosphere?s most important value lies in the services

   We know that Santiago would AGREE, because this answer essentially matches his 2nd sentence. But we can't support the DISAGREE position from Ellen's paragraph. She isn't saying anything that sounds like, "Calculating the dollar value of the biosphere's essential services does not imply that the biosphere's most important value is X". She's never talking about the biosphere's "most important value".

   8%