Question

All people residing in the country of Gradara approve of legislation requiring that certain hazardous wastes be disposed of by being burned in modern high- temperature incinerators. However, waste disposal companies planning to build such incinerators encounter fierce resistance to their applications for building permits from the residents of every Gradaran community that those companies propose as an incinerator site. Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain the residents' simultaneously holding both of the positions ascribed to them? (A) High-temperature incineration minimizes the overall risk to the human population of the country from the wastes being disposed of, but it concentrates the remaining risk in a small number of incineration sites. (B) High-temperature incineration is more expensive than any of the available alternatives would be, and the higher costs would be recovered through higher product prices. (C) High-temperature incineration will be carried out by private companies rather than by a government agency so that the government will not be required to police itself. (D) The toxic fumes generated within a high-temperature incinerator can be further treated so that all toxic residues from a properly operating incinerator are solids. (E) The substantial cost of high-temperature incineration can be partially offset by revenue from sales of electric energy generated as a by-product of incineration.

Short answer

(A) explains national support but local resistance due to risk concentration.

Step-by-step solution

Identify the Paradox

The paradox presented is that all residents support legislation requiring hazardous waste to be burned in high-temperature incinerators, yet they resist having these incinerators built in their own communities.

Determine the Residents' Interests

The residents' support for the legislation suggests they care about overall public safety and effective waste disposal. However, their resistance to local incinerator sites suggests a concern about direct exposure to risks associated with nearby incinerators.

Evaluate Explanation Options

Examine each option to see which one can resolve why residents support incineration in general, but resist local incinerator construction:

Analyze Option (A)

Option (A) states that high-temperature incineration minimizes overall risk but concentrates the remaining risk at incineration sites. This could explain why residents approve the legislation but resist local incinerators; they agree with reduced national risk but do not want increased risk concentrated near them.

Rule Out Other Options

Evaluate the remaining options: - (B) talks about cost, which is not directly related to the health and safety concerns tied to local resistance. - (C) refers to administrative responsibility, which does not address the paradox of shared support and local resistance. - (D) discusses technical efficiency of incinerators, which doesn't explain resistance to local sites. - (E) focuses on cost recovery, irrelevant to the paradox of local versus national approval.

Conclusion

Based on the analysis, option (A) most effectively explains the residents' contradictory positions. They support nationwide risk reduction but avoid local risk concentration.

Key concepts

Critical Thinking Skills

In LSAT Logical Reasoning, critical thinking skills are vital. They help you analyze complex scenarios like the Gradara incinerator paradox. Critical thinking involves the ability to interpret, assess, and evaluate data or arguments.
It helps you determine the validity of given options and identify underlying assumptions. One critical thinking approach is identifying inconsistencies in the given information.
In the exercise, residents approve legislation while opposing local incinerators. Recognizing this logical gap helps in searching for explanations. Another approach is examining potential biases that could affect judgments.
Understanding why someone might resist something rational can uncover hidden motivations or risks.
Overall, nurturing critical thinking skills equips you to handle nuanced questions, making them easier to tackle in exams.

Logical Reasoning Questions

Logical reasoning questions test your ability to comprehend and manipulate complex arguments.
They often present scenarios requiring inference, analysis, and conclusion drawing. In the given exercise, logical reasoning helps you navigate the dual stance taken by Gradara residents.
Understanding the core issue involves dissecting the situation into manageable parts – the legislation approval and local resistance.
Logical reasoning helps in breaking down these dual aspects and searching for connections. When faced with such questions, focus on identifying the structure of the argument:

• Identify premises and conclusions.
• Look for unsolved contradictions or conflicts.
• Evaluate each answer choice systematically, considering how it fits within the argument’s framework.

Doing so leads to more coherent understanding and resolution.

Argument Evaluation

Argument evaluation is crucial for deciphering logical reasoning exercises.
It involves assessing the arguments for validity, relevance, and soundness. In evaluating the arguments presented by residents, you consider what supporting evidence or data might resolve their apparent contradiction.
This includes examining each provided option to see how it aligns with the known facts – residents' support for safe disposal yet local resistance. To master this, begin by isolating the central contradiction or issue presented in the argument. Next, evaluate the potential causes or reasons that might offer a resolution. Consider:

• Do these options address the core issue?
• Are they logically sound, given the premises?
• Do they provide a plausible explanation for both approval and resistance?

By effectively evaluating arguments, you can draw more accurate and supported conclusions.

Paradox Resolution

Paradox resolution involves explaining conflicting information within a set premise.
It requires finding a plausible explanation that harmonizes the contradiction. In the exercise, the paradox is that of residents supporting incineration yet opposing its local implementation.
Here, understanding paradox resolution helps you weigh how risks differ at a community and national level. To address this paradox, evaluate option (A): it suggests that incineration lowers nationwide risk but increases local site risk.
This shows how residents could rationally support legislation for overall safety while opposing a personalized risk increase. Resolving paradoxes involves:

• Finding an answer that eliminates or lessens perceived contradictions.
• Identifying additional contexts or information altering how risks or benefits are perceived.
• Constructing a consistent narrative tying together disparate elements.

Paradox resolution therefore offers meaningful insight into logical dilemmas.