Principle JustifyDiff: Medium
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: We spend too much money on flashy research about genes and personality that doesn't really help anyone, while ignoring boring but useful research like making better crops. We should swap the funding priorities.
Conclusion: Funding for human gene research should be decreased while funding for practical genetic research like plant hardiness should be increased.
Reasoning: Personality-gene research has few practical benefits despite high costs, whereas plant research is practical but lacks funding.
Analysis: The geneticist is making a value judgment: because one type of research is 'mundane and practical' and the other is 'high-profile' but useless, we should shift the money. To justify this, we need a principle that explicitly links the 'practicality' of research to its 'right' to receive funding. Look for a rule that says something like 'research funding should be allocated based on the likelihood of practical benefits.' The correct answer will bridge the gap between the descriptive facts about the research and the normative conclusion about what we 'should' do with the money.
Conclusion: Funding for human gene research should be decreased while funding for practical genetic research like plant hardiness should be increased.
Reasoning: Personality-gene research has few practical benefits despite high costs, whereas plant research is practical but lacks funding.
Analysis: The geneticist is making a value judgment: because one type of research is 'mundane and practical' and the other is 'high-profile' but useless, we should shift the money. To justify this, we need a principle that explicitly links the 'practicality' of research to its 'right' to receive funding. Look for a rule that says something like 'research funding should be allocated based on the likelihood of practical benefits.' The correct answer will bridge the gap between the descriptive facts about the research and the normative conclusion about what we 'should' do with the money.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage11.Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the geneticist's reasoning?
Correct Answer
D
It states that experiments with modest but practical goals are more worthwhile than impressive ones with few practical consequences. That principle matches the geneticist’s contrast and justifies shifting funding from the latter to the former.
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