Critical Reasoning: Paradox Questions
Elephants have an exceptional memory, enabling them to find their way in areas which they have not frequented in many years. A new zoological research has discovered that this ability can be further enhanced by fixing the leading elephant with blinders, thereby greatly limiting its field of vision.
Which of the following hypotheses best explains the contrast described above?
Incorrect.
[[snippet]]This answer choice emphasizes the paradox rather than resolves it. If elephants need to see in order to employ their memory of previously visited locations, then fitting them with blinders should make their use of their memory worse, rather than better.
Incorrect.
[[snippet]]This answer choice does not resolve the paradox, because the fact that the elephant won't fall down with the blinders doesn't explain why making the elephant partially blind helps its memory.
Close, very close.
[[snippet]]This answer choice is tricky, because it focuses on the elephant's memory being based on its sense of smell. However, notice that this answer choice doesn't explain why an elephant remembers better with the blinders on than it does without them. Only such an answer choice will fully resolve the paradox. Look for it!
Almost there.
[[snippet]]This answer choice is tricky, because it tells us the elephant's most effective sense is its sense of smell. However, notice that this AC doesn't explain why an elephant remembers better with the blinders on than it does without them. Only such an answer choice will fully resolve the paradox.
Great!
[[snippet]]This answer choice is the only one that tells us both that an elephant remembers best what it smelled with its trunk and that its sight is actually a distraction to remembering. If this is the case, putting blinders on the elephant will actually help it to remember better, thus fully resolving the paradox.
