Despite the best efforts of astronomers, no one has yet succeeded in

Question

Competition Mode Question

Despite the best efforts of astronomers, no one has yet succeeded in exchanging messages with intelligent life on other planets or in other solar systems. In fact, no one has even managed to prove that any kind of extraterrestrial life exists. Thus, there is clearly no intelligent life anywhere but on Earth.

The argument’s reasoning is flawed because the argument

(A) fails to consider that there might be extraterrestrial forms of intelligence that are not living beings

(B) confuses an absence of evidence for a hypothesis with the existence of evidence against the hypothesis

(C) interprets a disagreement over a scientific theory as a disproof of that theory

(D) makes an inference that relies on the vagueness of the term “life”

(E) relies on a weak analogy rather than on evidence to draw a conclusion

exc4libur · Answer

ARGUMENT
  nobody has found evidence of intelligent life on other plants or systems;
  nobody can prove that such exists;
  thus, there is no intelligent life;
  that if no evidence has been found, then definitely this life cannot exist.

FLAWED

Ans (B) just because proof does not presently exist, there is still the possibility that it will exist in the future, thus the conclusion is not definite!

shameekv1989 · Answer

Premise 1 :- No scientist has succeeded in communicating with intelligent life on other planets
Premise 2 :- Infact no extraterrestrial life has been found yet

Conclusion :- There is no intelligent life anywhere

Author is talking about life and not other forms of any kind

Correct - absence of evidence (No life has been found yet) is taken as a proof or existence of an evidence to come up with the conclusion that no life is present anywhere

there is no disagreement in the argument

the author is talking about whatever he interprets "life" as. There is no vagueness of the term for him as such

There is no analogy made in the argument

Answer - B

NiftyNiffler · Answer

The flaw in the argument is that just because the existence of extra-terrestrial life is not proven doesn't mean that it doesn't exist

(A) fails to consider that there might be extraterrestrial forms of intelligence that are not living beings -- no mention of non-living beings in the passage

(B) confuses an absence of evidence for a hypothesis with the existence of evidence against the hypothesis -- BINGO

(C) interprets a disagreement over a scientific theory as a disproof of that theory -- no mention of disagreement between scientists in the passage

(D) makes an inference that relies on the vagueness of the term “life” -- the term is not used vaguely here

(E) relies on a weak analogy rather than on evidence to draw a conclusion -- no analogy in the passage

unraveled · Answer

Despite the best efforts of astronomers, no one has yet succeeded in exchanging messages with intelligent life on other planets or in other solar systems. In fact, no one has even managed to prove that any kind of extraterrestrial life exists. Thus, there is clearly no intelligent life anywhere but on Earth.

The argument’s reasoning is flawed because the argument

(A) fails to consider that there might be extraterrestrial forms of intelligence that are not living beings - WRONG. Irrelevant. Argument is about life only.

(B) confuses an absence of evidence for a hypothesis with the existence of evidence against the hypothesis - CORRECT. Argument concludes based on absence of evidence and hypothesize that there is no intelligent life anywhere but Earth.

(C) interprets a disagreement over a scientific theory as a disproof of that theory - WRONG. It takes into account that astronomers were not able to find extraterrestrial life and thus bases its conclusion on that fact.

(D) makes an inference that relies on the vagueness of the term “life” - WRONG. Argument does not define life.

(E) relies on a weak analogy rather than on evidence to draw a conclusion - WRONG. Argument does not draw any analogy.

IMO Answer B.

AnirudhaS · Answer

Argument: the author states that since no one has established contact with extra-terrestrial beings, and also failed to prove that there is life out there, therefore intelligent life must only be present on earth.

(A) fails to consider that there might be extraterrestrial forms of intelligence that are not living beings
 The argument is not about where they are living or not.

(B) confuses an absence of evidence for a hypothesis with the existence of evidence against the hypothesis
 Yes. absence of evidence = evidence of life; hypothesis = life exists outside earth; Absence of evidence does not necessarily mean that the hypothesis is false. The hypothesis must have an evidence supporting it.

(C) interprets a disagreement over a scientific theory as a disproof of that theory
 There is no disagreement. The author just states facts and draws a conclusion, which is flawed.

(D) makes an inference that relies on the vagueness of the term “life”
 Nope that is not the central idea of the passage.

(E) relies on a weak analogy rather than on evidence to draw a conclusion
 Not an analogy.

razorhell · Answer

Ans B

(A) fails to consider that there might be extraterrestrial forms of intelligence that are not living beings .....  The argument considers this
 
(B) confuses an absence of evidence for a hypothesis with the existence of evidence against the hypothesis ......  Yes, mere absence of proof doesn't render the hypothesis false.... you just have to keep looking

(C) interprets a disagreement over a scientific theory as a disproof of that theory ....  No scientific theory discussed

(D) makes an inference that relies on the vagueness of the term “life” ......  Irrevalent

(E) relies on a weak analogy rather than on evidence to draw a conclusion ....... Close option ....  No Analogy here..

VerbalBot · Answer

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Despite the best efforts of astronomers, no one has yet succeeded in

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