The question whether intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe

Explanation

(A) The question whether intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is one that will never correctly be answered.

This option is not directly addressed in the argument. The argument does not suggest that the question will never be correctly answered. Instead, it focuses on the imprecision of the question and the need to keep definitions open to new possibilities. Therefore, the argument does not object to this claim.

(B) Whether or not there is intelligent life elsewhere in the universe, our understanding of intelligent life is limited.

The argument supports this claim. It acknowledges the limitation of our understanding of intelligent life by highlighting the imprecision of the question. It suggests that our current understanding may not encompass all possible forms of intelligent life, and therefore, our definitions should remain open to new possibilities.

(C) The question about the existence of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe must be made more precise if we hope to answer it correctly.

This is the option that the argument objects to. The argument argues against making the question more precise, stating that the imprecision of the question is necessary to recognize and discover new, unimagined possibilities of intelligent life. It emphasizes that leaving the question open to new definitions is crucial for our exploration.

(D) The question whether there is intelligent life elsewhere in the universe is so imprecise as to be meaningless.

The argument does not suggest that the question is meaningless. While it acknowledges the imprecision of the question, it does not dismiss it as meaningless. Instead, it argues for the importance of maintaining an open definition to allow for the discovery of new forms of intelligent life.

(E) The question whether there is intelligent life elsewhere in the universe is one we should not spend our time trying to answer.

The argument does not explicitly address whether we should or should not spend our time trying to answer the question. It focuses on the imprecision of the question and the importance of keeping our definitions open to new possibilities. Therefore, the argument does not object to this claim.

In summary, the argument objects to claim (C) because it opposes the idea of making the question about the existence of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe more precise. It argues that leaving the definitions open to new possibilities is necessary for recognizing and discovering new forms of intelligence.

Answer: C