Question

Difficulty: MediumMost Strongly Supported Questions

In the deep-sea ecosystem known as the twilight zone, all bioluminescent predators possess specialized photophores that emit blue light. Organisms of the genus *Vampyroteuthis* found in this zone emit only red light. Furthermore, marine biologists have confirmed that every organism emitting red light in the twilight zone feeds exclusively on marine detritus.

Based on the information provided, it is most strongly supported that any organism in the twilight zone that feeds exclusively on marine detritus emits only red light.

Answer: Answer

Answer

False
The statement is false because it commits a conditional logic flaw known as an illegal reversal. The stimulus explicitly states that every organism emitting red light feeds exclusively on marine detritus (Red Light -> Detritus). However, the proposed statement reverses this relationship, claiming that feeding on detritus means an organism emits red light (Detritus -> Red Light). Without further evidence establishing that ONLY red-light emitters eat detritus, this inference cannot be supported.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the conditional relationships provided in the stimulus.
Identified the rule: If an organism emits red light, then it feeds exclusively on marine detritus (Red Light -> Detritus).
Mapping the exact direction of conditional logic is essential for evaluating inference validity.
2
Evaluate the proposed inference in the final statement.
The statement claims: If an organism feeds exclusively on marine detritus, then it emits only red light (Detritus -> Red Light).
Comparing the proposed inference to the established premises reveals whether the logic is logically sound or flawed.
3
Determine if the inference is logically supported by the premises.
The inference is an illegal reversal of the premise. The text does not provide evidence about all detritus-feeders.
An illegal reversal (affirming the consequent) does not yield a valid inference; thus, the statement is unsupported.

Key Concept

Identifying Conditional Logic Flaws in Inferences
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