December 2010 LSAT Section 3 Question 8

A leading critic of space exploration contends that it would be wrong, given current technology, to send a group of e...

finleyke on March 26, 2016

Please explain

I am having problems seeing how the answer that was stated to be correct, (something true as a whole is true in its parts) is in anyway present or applicable to this question? The only thing I can think is the whole would describe the space mission, and the parts would describe the back up system but I am still failing to tie these together!?

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Mehran on March 27, 2016

@finleyke no problem! Let's take a look.

The conclusion of this argument is, "But that exaggerates the risk." What is "that?"

That = "A leading critic of space exploration contends that it would be wrong, given current technology, to send a group of explorers to Mars, since the explorers would be unlikely to survive the trip."

And what is the support provided for this conclusion that this leading critic is exaggerating the risk?

"There would be a well-engineered backup system at every stage of the long and complicated journey. A fatal catastrophe is quite unlikely at any given stage if such a backup system is in place."

So basically the author here is concluding that the leading critic is exaggerating the risk of explorers sent to Mars surviving the trip because a fatal catastrophe at any given stage is quite unlikely.

"Any given stage" is a part of the whole, i.e. surviving the whole trip to Mars.

Hope that helps! Please let us know if you have any other questions.

Ohemaa on June 20, 2018

So is answer choice A saying that the error in reasoning is the fact that there could be a possibility that a fatal catastrophe could happen in one of the stages during the journey?

Anita on June 21, 2018

@Ohemaa Answer A is saying that they're assuming that what is true about a certain part is the same for the whole.

While there may be only a, say, 5% chance of error at takeoff, and a 5% chance at landing, and 5% at all these other stages - which isn't much individually - when you look at all of them added together, it could still be a very risky trip with many different areas for error.