This isn't so neatly diagrammable, but I think the key here is to understand (as always) the gap in the argument. The biologist generalizes from a particular instance: 1) Skeletons of lions & tigers are almost identical, but their hunting behavior is very different
To conclude something about dinosaurs (!): 2) Looking at just the skeletons of dinosaurs won't give us reliable info about their hunting habits.
The biologist is assuming that just because there was one instance of skeletons not being reliable, they are never reliable, or in lawgic:
Instance of skeletons being inadequate indicators of hunting behavior --> Skeletons alone never adequate indicators of hunting behavior
If we plugged this conditional into our argument, the conclusion would logically follow.
I don't have the question in front of me but I think I remember it...the point I'd like to make is I believe I recall the conclusion of the argument making a bit of a leap in determining that the method can't even be applied to "prehistoric" creatures. The correct answer accounts for this by including it in the conditional.
Comments
This isn't so neatly diagrammable, but I think the key here is to understand (as always) the gap in the argument.
The biologist generalizes from a particular instance:
1) Skeletons of lions & tigers are almost identical, but their hunting behavior is very different
To conclude something about dinosaurs (!):
2) Looking at just the skeletons of dinosaurs won't give us reliable info about their hunting habits.
The biologist is assuming that just because there was one instance of skeletons not being reliable, they are never reliable, or in lawgic:
Instance of skeletons being inadequate indicators of hunting behavior --> Skeletons alone never adequate indicators of hunting behavior
If we plugged this conditional into our argument, the conclusion would logically follow.
C) provides this conditional.
Let me know if you need me to clarify anything!