X: When a rare but serious industrial accident occurs,

Question

X: When a rare but serious industrial accident occurs, people respond by believing that such accidents are becoming more frequent. This belief is irrational. After all, being dealt four aces in a hand of poker, a rare event, hardly increases one's chances of being dealt four aces in a future hand.
　
Y: To the contrary, the belief is rational because it results in people's sensing a danger to themselves not previously sensed and taking precautionary actions to prevent similar accidents in the future.
　
Y's attempt to counter X's claim is best described by which of the following?

(A) It questions the aptness of the analogy drawn by X.
(B) It makes apparent X's failure to consider how people vary in their responses to a serious accident.
(C) It shifts the basis for judging rationality to considerations of utility.
(D) It offers an alternative explanation of why people form incorrect beliefs.
(E) It challenges X's assumption that the occurrence of a single event is sufficient to change a belief.

rkassal · Accepted Answer

C seems to be correct. Y does base rationality on the usefulness of the situation. He says that the feeling of fear among the workers is rational or justified because then, they will take extra precautions to avoid the accident. In other words, Y says that because the fear helps the workers to keep safe, it is okay to be fearful. X, on the other hand says, it is not okay to be fearful of a rare accident that may never happen again. 
X says Rare event---- not okay to be fearful.
Y says------- Rare or not rare, if it helps to be fearful, its okay to be fearful.
Therefore, both have differing perspectives to rationality.

sprtng · Answer

tough one...i had trouble between B and C...went with B because Y did point out X's failure...

but C also seems right..kinda, since C suggest another way to judge rationality of this belief...but B seems better

hogann · Answer

I agree with C as well.

X - argues the claim is irrational because just because a rare event has happened does not necessarily mean it is becoming common

Y - supports the claim but does not refute the argument - it shifts the scope and provides an alternative way of defining rationality.

abhi758 · Answer

IMO B

It rightly says that, there is a different way by which different people might respond to a serious accident and X fails to recognize this fact..

mikeCoolBoy · Answer

Can somebody of whom have choosen C explain the last part of the answer choice "rationality to considerations of utility"?

What does considerations of utility mean here?

tingjojo · Answer

B is wrong because no where does X or Y indicate a varying of response to a serious incident. 
OA = C

lawsohn · Answer

X says "Taking very RARE event as very FREQUENT is irrational." In other words, "We need not be too SENSITIVE to ONE TIME event."
Y counters "one time event AWAKENS people's sense of danger, thus We can take precautionary actions." In other words, "the belief is USEFUL for preventing similar accidents in the future"

Hope this helps.

By the way, what do  POE  and  IMO  stand for?

braxus · Answer

I agree, the answer is (C).
Y is very clearly changing the scope of the argument from one of "rationality" of the event to that of its "usefulness.

@lawsohn
POE - process of elimination
IMO - In my opinion

RSG · Answer

C

X questions the belief and makes a judgment that the belief is irrational.

Y counters by shifting the basis of the judgment from rationality to consideration of utility (taking precautionary actions to prevent similar accidents in the future.)

mvictor · Answer

By POE, I got to C.
A - does not question the aptness of the analogy. as a mater of fact, Y doesn't say anything about the analogy presented by X.
B - completely irrelevant.
C - looks good, although the language is complex.
D - no explanation is given why people form incorrect beliefs. moreover, Y considers that the beliefs are rational.
E - it does not.

eliminated all but C, and although C is hard to comprehend, still other answers are flawed.

DharLog · Answer

X: When a rare but serious industrial accident occurs, people respond by believing that such accidents are becoming more frequent. This belief is irrational. After all, being dealt four aces in a hand of poker, a rare event, hardly increases one's chances of being dealt four aces in a future hand.
　
Y: To the contrary, the belief is rational because it results in people's sensing a danger to themselves not previously sensed and taking precautionary actions to prevent similar accidents in the future.
　
Y's attempt to counter X's claim is best described by which of the following?

(A) It questions the aptness of the analogy drawn by X.
  We can not choose this option, because Y does not talk about poker

(B) It makes apparent X's failure to consider how people vary in their responses to a serious accident.
 We can not say that it is the X's failure. And, moreover, Y does not talk about how people vary.

(C) It shifts the basis for judging rationality to considerations of utility.
 Very good. Y mentions a rationality of the belief, but does not prove it, he simply shifts a topic - he talks about utility of the belief. Because people bevome more afraid and now they will take some precautions in future.

(D) It offers an alternative explanation of why people form incorrect beliefs.
 Y does not give any alternative explanation

(E) It challenges X's assumption that the occurrence of a single event is sufficient to change a belief.
  It dpes not chane anything

mallya12 · Answer

VeritasKarishma   GMATNinja

can u explain please explain option C.

"It shifts the basis for judging rationality to considerations of utility." Where is Y shifting the belief, He is stating a conclusion contrary to X and providing a reason for his conclusion.

I choose D. Please explain why D is wrong ? And what is the meaning of option C

VerbalBot · Answer

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X: When a rare but serious industrial accident occurs,

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X: When a rare but serious industrial accident occurs,

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