PT54.S4.Q16 - moon colonies

dcdcdcdcdc

https://7sage.com/lsat_explanations/lsat-54-section-4-question-16/

I agree A is a better choice given the premises and conclusion, but am I crazy for thinking that an economic incentive implies that the benefit is at least equal to, possibly greater than, the cost? In the examples given by JY he states we have a "growing economic incentive" when earth housing costs go from $200 million to $400 million while moon colony costs are st $1 billion. I understand that the gap between such costs has narrowed, but can it really be said that an economic incentive even exists at this point? Until I can at least break even, why would I consider anything less an "economic incentive." Since, in this view, JY's example does not actually present an economic incentive, can it really be said to be growing?

The only way I can see out of this issue is that the stimulus tells us point blank that the increasing scarcity of housing on earth results in a growing economic incentive, so perhaps my understanding is in conflict with the stimulus.

Sami

@dcdcdcdcdc said:
https://7sage.com/lsat_explanations/lsat-54-section-4-question-16/

I agree A is a better choice given the premises and conclusion, but am I crazy for thinking that an economic incentive implies that the benefit is at least equal to, possibly greater than, the cost?

Economic incentive just means there is growing motivation to do something. In this case because space available for building houses is decreasing there is a growing motivation/reason for people to look to the moon to build such houses. You are correct that incentive means that there is some degree of benefit that is being offered and in our case as the land on earth keeps decreasing that benefit of building a colony on moon keeps increasing.

An easier way to look at this would be through a simpler example. For instance, when I am trying to train my dog not to chase after a rabbit. I can offer her an incentive -carrot. She is not super fond of carrots but she likes them a bit. So it's an incentive for her to leave the rabbit and go after that carrot instead. But most of the time, that carrot is just not enough big of an incentive to leave that rabbit. I can then try to pull out a dog treat. Now her incentive to leave that rabbit has increased. But sometimes she may even decide that rabbit is worth more than the dog treat. So I can again try to increase the incentive by offering her hot dog instead, a better treat in her opinion. But just because I am increasing her incentive to leave the rabbit and go after my treat does not mean she will leave the rabbit. She might and she might not. That's what the argument is doing. Just because the motivation to build the colony on moon is increasing does not mean that like the conclusion states, that colony will be built. The economic incentive has to keep increasing sufficiently that building the colony on moon is worth it. Just like in the end I have to equal if not increase in the value of the treat offered to what is my dog's incentive to chase the rabbit. Anything less, even though I was increasing the incentive slowly, would just not do it. That's the gap in the argument. There is an increasing incentive, but we may just never reach a point where it's enough to change what we were doing.

In the examples given by JY he states we have a "growing economic incentive" when earth housing costs go from $200 million to $400 million while moon colony costs are st $1 billion. I understand that the gap between such costs has narrowed, but can it really be said that an economic incentive even exists at this point? Until I can at least break even, why would I consider anything less an "economic incentive." Since, in this view, JY's example does not actually present an economic incentive, can it really be said to be growing?

You are correct. JY is not saying that now because the price of housing on Earth has increased to 400 million there is enough incentive to build a colony on the moon. He is saying it's not enough because the cost to build it on the moon is still 1 billion even though the incentive (or motivation/reason) has increased because of the 200 million cost increase. So just because the economic incentive has increased from 200 million to 400 million, there is more reasons to build a colony on moon than there was before, does not mean it has increased enough to actually build it since it still costs a lot more than on earth.

I hope that helped. : )