Scientists hoping to understand and eventually reverse damage to the fragile ozone layer in the Earth's upper atmosphere used a spacecraft to conduct crucial experiments. βββββ βββββββββββ ββββ βββββββββ ββββ β βββββ ββ βββββββββββββββββ βββ ββββββββ ββββ β ββββββ ββββ ββ βββ ββββββββββ βββ ββ ββββ ββββ ββ βββ βββββ βββββ ββ β ββββββ βββββββββ ββ βββ βββββββ ββββββββ βββ ββββ βββββ βββ ββββββ βββ βββββββββββββ ββ ββββ ββ βββ βββββββ
The environmentalists conclude that, since the damage done to the ozone layer by a yearβs pollution from the average factory is unjustifiable, and the spacecraftβs trip did as much damage to the ozone layer as a yearβs pollution from an average factory, the spacecraftβs trip was unjustifiable.
The environmentalists reason that since a single trip by the spacecraft does as much damage to the ozone layer as a yearβs pollution from the average factory, which is unjustifiable, the spacecraftβs trip was unjustifiable. However, the environmentalistsβ criticism is questionable because it neglects the possibility that, unlike pollution from a factory, a trip by the spacecraft may ultimately benefit the ozone layer.
Analysis by MatthewSorrels
The reasoning in the environmentalists' βββββββββ ββ ββββββββββββ βββββββ ββ
treats as similar βββ βββββ ββββ βββ βββββββββ ββ β ββββββββ βββββββ
justifies a generalization ββ βββ βββββ ββ β ββββββ ββββββββ
fails to distinguish βββ ββββ ββ βββββββββ βββββββ βββββββ ββββ βββ ββββ ββ ββββββββββ βββββ βββββββ βββββββ
attempts to compare βββ ββββββββββ ββββ βββ βββ ββββββββββ ββ βββ βββ
presupposes that experiments ββββββ ββ ββββ ββ βββββ ββββββββ