Critical Reasoning (CR) | Although exposure to asbestos is the primary cause of mesothelioma, a

Understanding the argument -
The argument is a cause-effect. The researchers hypothesize that "the vaccine" was the cause of the "virus found in mesotheliomas decades later." Why do they hypothesize that? Because in 1960, some polio vaccines were contaminated with the virus. Okay, so how, from that contaminated vaccine, did the virus move to mesothelioma? We don't know. So when I don't know how? At least what I expect is: What if the vaccine had not been contaminated, then I would expect the virus not to have been present in "mesothelioma"? Fair? Yes. "X causes Y" can be bolstered by "not X, not Y." If not X and still Y, then another cause is at play. We need to ensure that there is no other cause.

(A) SV40 is widely used as a research tool in cancer laboratories. - so what? Many things are used in labs, but do they all turn into our bodies? Out of scope.

(B) Changes in the technique of manufacturing the vaccine now prevent contamination
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Statistics : Posted by Raman109 • on 11 Dec 2007, 07:28 • Replies 34 • Views 47235

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