QUESTION TEXT: A group of unusual meteorites was found…
QUESTION TYPE: Method of Reasoning
CONCLUSION: The meteorites probably came from Mars.
REASONING: The meteorites either came from Mars, Venus or Mercury. But for various reasons, they couldn’t have come from Venus and Mercury.
ANALYSIS: This is a good argument. Note that the conclusion isn’t absolute: the author just says “probably”.
The author’s method is to eliminate alternate explanations.
___________
- Which theory? Which counterexample? There’s not much I can say to this, because there’s nothing like it in the question. A counterexample is a specific example that disproves a general theory.
- CORRECT. If it isn’t Venus or Mercury, it must be Mars.
- The past isn’t mentioned.
- Which assumption? The author never casts doubt on any fact.
He’s not questioning that the meteorite could have come from any of the three planets: their structure does indicate that. He just uses evidence to show that the meteorite probably didn’t come from two of the three planets.
- A general principle would be certain. There’s no general principle here; the author just gives an uncertain conclusion. He thinks the meteorites “probably” came from Mars.
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