Q7 - Derek: We must exploit available

[rhodopsin91]

I understand that E is correct, but how can answer B be eliminated?

[ManhattanPrepLSAT1]

Lola concludes that we should wait for a synthetic drug rather than threaten the survival of both the yew and the owl in developing effective anticancer drugs. Why? Because taking advantage of the new medical breakthrough could have far-reaching consequences for an entire ecosystem.

Answer choice (E) correctly describes Lola's underlying assumption. When confronted with either taking advantage of a medical breakthrough and possibly recking an ecosystem or preserving an ecosystem and not taking advantage of a medical breakthrough, the latter is preferable to the former.

Incorrect Answers
(A) is irrelevant, because there is a threat to people's well-being--cancer! This provides a principle that says what should happen if there is not a threat.
(B) arrives at the wrong outcome. Lola does not advocate coming to an agreement, but instead protecting the yew and spotted owl.
(C) arrives at the wrong conclusion. This principle states that if human lives are at stake (which they are), then environmental concerns should not play a role (but Lola says they should).
(D) suggests that if something is not a medical breakthrough that could save lives (but we know that the breakthrough could save lives), then it does not justify threatening the environment. This principle is irrelevant.

[beatthelsat]

Hello,

I was initially thinking to choose E when I was completing the question, but I erroneously decided against it.

My reasoning was because E states that, "avoiding actions that threaten an entire ecosystem takes precedence over immediately providing advantage to a restricted group of people.

I figured that since the stimulus says that it will take years to develop an effective synthetic version of the yew's anticancer chemical, the answer choice could not be right.

Is my reasoning flawed because it says "an effective synthetic version"? indicating that another version could take less time?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks!