Examkin

Soru

Zorluk: OrtaWeaken

Consider the following argument:

Marine Biologist: Deep-sea coral reefs off the southern Reykjanes Ridge experienced a 30 percent decline in skeletal calcification rates following a series of localized undersea seismic tremors. Because such tremors fracture hydrothermal fissures, releasing acidic mineral compounds into surrounding waters, researchers concluded that the increased acidity from these venting fissures was the direct cause of the diminished calcification in the coral colonies.

Statement: If true, the fact that the undersea tremors also triggered dense submarine sediment plumes that settled over the reefs and obstructed the nutrient filtration required for calcification weakens the researchers' conclusion.

Cevap: Cevap

Cevap

True
The statement is true because the stimulus commits a classic correlation-to-causation error. The author assumes that because calcification dropped following seismic activity, the acidic compounds released by the tremors must be the direct cause. Introducing evidence that the tremors concurrently created sediment plumes that physically impede the biological mechanism of calcification provides an alternative explanation for the decline, substantially weakening the author's conclusion.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Identify the conclusion and supporting premises in the stimulus.
Conclusion: The increased acidity from venting fissures was the direct cause of the diminished coral calcification. Premise: A 30 percent calcification decline occurred after seismic tremors, which are known to fracture fissures and release acidic mineral compounds.
Accurately identifying the author's causal claim is necessary to determine what evidence would weaken it.
2
Identify the underlying reasoning gap in the argument.
The author assumes that because tremors release acidity and calcification subsequently declined, the acidity must be the specific factor responsible, overlooking other potential consequences of the tremors.
Causal arguments that infer causation from temporal correlation are vulnerable to plausible alternative explanations for the observed effect.
3
Evaluate whether the statement introduces an effective alternative cause.
The statement introduces a competing causal mechanism—sediment plumes caused by the same tremors that directly obstruct calcification—which accounts for the effect without relying on water acidity.
Providing a viable alternative cause directly undermines the claim that acidity was the direct cause, confirming that the statement weakens the conclusion.

Anahtar Kavram

Weakening causal arguments by introducing an alternative explanation for an observed correlation
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Konular

Weaken

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