Logic Breakdown

Passage Summary: Forest fires are actually good for nature because they help plants grow and keep bugs in check, so humans should stop trying to put them out.

Conclusion: Humans should refrain from attempting to control or prevent forest fires and instead allow them to burn out naturally.

Reasoning: Forest fires are natural events that ecosystems are adapted to, and they provide essential benefits like seed dispersal, insect control, and the maintenance of plant diversity.

Analysis: To find the 'Sufficient Assumption,' we need a premise that guarantees the conclusion is true based on the evidence. The ecologist shows that fires are 'natural' and 'beneficial,' then jumps to the claim that humans 'should' not interfere. The gap is the link between ecological benefit and human inaction. Look for an answer that states a universal rule, such as: 'If a natural phenomenon is necessary for an ecosystem to flourish, humans should not attempt to control it.' This would bridge the gap between the facts and the moral prescription.

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17.

The conclusion drawn above follows logically if which one of the following is assumed?

Correct Answer
B
If protecting forests is the only legitimate reason to prevent/control fires, and fires benefit forests, then preventing/controlling them is indeed ill-advised and shortsighted. This assumption makes the policy conclusion follow.
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