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04 Apr 2026, 02:45
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Cognitive scientist: Using the pioneering work of comparative psychologist Gordon Gallup as a model, several studies have investigated animals' capacity for mirror self-recognition (MSR). Most animals exposed to a mirror respond only with social behavior, such as aggression. However, in the case of the great apes, repeated exposure to mirrors leads to self-directed behaviors, such as exploring the inside of the mouth, suggesting that these animals recognize the reflection as an image of self. The implication of these studies is that the great apes have a capacity for self-awareness unique among nonhuman species.
The cognitive scientist makes which of the following assumptions in the argument above?
The argument says that great apes show mirror self-recognition, while most other animals respond to mirrors only socially, and then concludes that great apes have a uniquely nonhuman capacity for self-awareness. The key assumption is that animals that lack mirror self-recognition also lack self-awareness. Without that link, the fact that other animals do not show MSR would not prove that they are not self-aware in some other way.
A. Gallup's work has established that the great apes have a capacity for MSR unique among nonhuman species.
This is not required. The argument uses Gallup’s work as a model, but it does not depend on Gallup himself having already established that conclusion.
B. If an animal does not have the capacity for MSR, it does not have the capacity for self-awareness.
This is the correct answer. The conclusion says great apes are unique among nonhuman species in self-awareness. That only follows if animals that do not show MSR are not self-aware. Otherwise, some other species could be self-aware even without recognizing themselves in mirrors.
C. If a researcher exposes an animal to a mirror and that animal exhibits social behavior, that animal is incapable of being self-aware.
This is too strong and not necessary. An animal could show social behavior in response to a mirror without that proving it is incapable of self-awareness in every case.
D. When exposed to a mirror, all animals display either social behavior or self-directed behavior.
This is not needed. The argument does not require those to be the only two possible responses.
E. Animals that do not exhibit MSR may demonstrate a capacity for self-awareness in other ways.
This weakens the argument rather than supports it. If this were true, then great apes would not necessarily be unique in self-awareness.
Answer: (B)
The cognitive scientist makes which of the following assumptions in the argument above?
The argument says that great apes show mirror self-recognition, while most other animals respond to mirrors only socially, and then concludes that great apes have a uniquely nonhuman capacity for self-awareness. The key assumption is that animals that lack mirror self-recognition also lack self-awareness. Without that link, the fact that other animals do not show MSR would not prove that they are not self-aware in some other way.
A. Gallup's work has established that the great apes have a capacity for MSR unique among nonhuman species.
This is not required. The argument uses Gallup’s work as a model, but it does not depend on Gallup himself having already established that conclusion.
B. If an animal does not have the capacity for MSR, it does not have the capacity for self-awareness.
This is the correct answer. The conclusion says great apes are unique among nonhuman species in self-awareness. That only follows if animals that do not show MSR are not self-aware. Otherwise, some other species could be self-aware even without recognizing themselves in mirrors.
C. If a researcher exposes an animal to a mirror and that animal exhibits social behavior, that animal is incapable of being self-aware.
This is too strong and not necessary. An animal could show social behavior in response to a mirror without that proving it is incapable of self-awareness in every case.
D. When exposed to a mirror, all animals display either social behavior or self-directed behavior.
This is not needed. The argument does not require those to be the only two possible responses.
E. Animals that do not exhibit MSR may demonstrate a capacity for self-awareness in other ways.
This weakens the argument rather than supports it. If this were true, then great apes would not necessarily be unique in self-awareness.
Answer: (B)
04 Apr 2026, 03:15
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eaat
No. B is about capacity, not immediate behavior. The argument says the great apes eventually show MSR after repeated exposure, so they still count as having the capacity for MSR.
Your point would matter only if B had said something like “if an animal does not show MSR immediately on first exposure.” It does not say that. It says if an animal does not have the capacity for MSR at all, then it is not self-aware. The passage treats the apes as having that capacity, even though it appears only after repeated exposure.
Ram_2001
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10 May 2026, 03:31
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Why (B) is correct, even though it's logically invalid
The argument's stated conditional is: MSR → self-awareness. The scientist observes that great apes uniquely show MSR, and concludes they uniquely have self-awareness.
Logically, this conditional only runs one way. The absence of MSR tells you nothing about the absence of self-awareness — denying the antecedent is a fallacy. So (B), which asserts ¬MSR → ¬self-awareness, is not logically warranted by anything the scientist says.
But the question doesn't ask what's logically valid — it asks what assumption the scientist makes.
Look at the conclusion: great apes have self-awareness unique among nonhuman species. The studies only establish that MSR is unique to great apes. To bridge "unique MSR" to "unique self-awareness," the scientist must be treating MSR as the exclusive route to self-awareness. If other animals could be self-aware through non-MSR mechanisms, the uniqueness claim falls apart entirely — but the scientist never entertains that possibility.
So the scientist is implicitly running the conditional in both directions — MSR ↔ self-awareness — even though only one direction is justified. (B) captures that reverse conditional.
The argument is therefore logically flawed, but (B) is precisely the flawed assumption the scientist smuggles in to reach the conclusion.
The argument's stated conditional is: MSR → self-awareness. The scientist observes that great apes uniquely show MSR, and concludes they uniquely have self-awareness.
Logically, this conditional only runs one way. The absence of MSR tells you nothing about the absence of self-awareness — denying the antecedent is a fallacy. So (B), which asserts ¬MSR → ¬self-awareness, is not logically warranted by anything the scientist says.
But the question doesn't ask what's logically valid — it asks what assumption the scientist makes.
Look at the conclusion: great apes have self-awareness unique among nonhuman species. The studies only establish that MSR is unique to great apes. To bridge "unique MSR" to "unique self-awareness," the scientist must be treating MSR as the exclusive route to self-awareness. If other animals could be self-aware through non-MSR mechanisms, the uniqueness claim falls apart entirely — but the scientist never entertains that possibility.
So the scientist is implicitly running the conditional in both directions — MSR ↔ self-awareness — even though only one direction is justified. (B) captures that reverse conditional.
The argument is therefore logically flawed, but (B) is precisely the flawed assumption the scientist smuggles in to reach the conclusion.
Bunuel
08 Sep 2026, 14:18
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Can someone correct my logic for choice D?
My logic is that choice D is removing the possibility that an animal can display both behaviors. Since this animal displays this self directed behavior, they can be self aware. Wouldn't this negate the argument that Apes are UNIQUE in this capacity of self awareness?
My logic is that choice D is removing the possibility that an animal can display both behaviors. Since this animal displays this self directed behavior, they can be self aware. Wouldn't this negate the argument that Apes are UNIQUE in this capacity of self awareness?
