Critical Reasoning: Investigation Questions
In 2006, after being declared missing for three weeks, a Japanese man was discovered asleep in the snow in a state similar to hibernation. In animals, hibernation is characterized by slower breathing, lower body temperature, and a slower metabolism. Although humans do not normally hibernate, the doctors who treated the man hypothesized that he had entered a state of hibernation.
Which of the following, if it could be carried out, would be most useful in an evaluation of the above hypothesis?
Incorrect.
[[snippet]]In this question, we are asked to find a test which will reveal whether the Japanese man hibernated. Since ID cards do not indicate whether someone has hibernated for three weeks, checking the man's ID will not do.
Correct!
[[snippet]]Since hibernation, according to the definition in the argument, is characterized by slower breathing, lower body temperature and a slower metabolism, checking these parameters in the sleeping man will indicate whether he is indeed hibernating.
Incorrect.
[[snippet]]Whether the man was part of an experiment does not eliminate or confirm the possibility that he was in a state of hibernation. Therefore, this is not a suitable factor for checking for hibernation.
Incorrect.
[[snippet]]We are asked to find a test which will reveal whether the Japanese man hibernated. Whether another person manages to hibernate is irrelevant as it will not tell us anything about the Japanese man in the question.
Incorrect.
[[snippet]]Merely being raised by animals does not necessarily mean one can hibernate. Furthermore, it does not indicate whether the Japanese man was hibernating when he was found in 2006.
