Q32:

A theory is either true or false. Galileo’s observations of Jupiter’s satellites showed that the Ptolemaic theory of the motion of celestial bodies is false. Therefore, since the Copernican theory of planetary motion is inconsistent with the Ptolemaic account, Galileo’s observations of Jupiter’s satellites proved the truth of the Copernican theory.

The argument above is open to the objection that it makes the questionable assumption that

A. whoever first observed something inconsistent with the truth of the Ptolemaic theory should be credited with having proved that theory false

B. there are some possible observations that would be inconsistent with the account given by the Copernican theory but consistent with the account given by the Ptolemaic theory

C. the Ptolemaic and Copernican theories, being inconsistent, cannot both be based on exactly the same evidence

D. numerous counterexamples were necessary in order to show the Ptolemaic theory to be false

E. the Ptolemaic and Copernican theories, being inconsistent, cannot both be false

此题出题颇为怪异：给出的答案是E，偶无法理解；

原题说：一个理论不是对的就是错的，G's O证明P是错的，P和C不一致，那么G's O证明C是对的。

这个推理的错误的假设是E：P和C理论，虽然不一致，但不可能同时错。

想不明白~~~~

" 原题说：一个理论不是对的就是错的，G's O证明P是错的，P和C不一致，那么G's O证明C是对的。"

如果我把这个3段论的前提改一下，把“一个理论不是对的就是错的”改为“P 和 C 只有一个是对的”，

那么新的推理便为：

1. P 和 C 只有一个是对的；

2. G's O证明P是错的

3. P和C不一致

-------------------------------------

那么G's O证明C是对的

那么这个推理就正确了吧。E 说的就是上文我改变了的前提。

注意题目文的是：The argument above is open to the objection that it makes the questionable assumption that

如下哪个错误的假设而导致了上文的推理

原文结论关心的是理论的正确与否， Therefore, since the Copernican theory of planetary motion is inconsistent with the Ptolemaic account, Galileo’s observations of Jupiter’s satellites proved the truth of the Copernican theory.

1. 原文结论关心的并不是whoever。

2. 另外，A 翻译一下是，那些观测结果与 P 理论不一致的均可认为观测结果不对。

这正和原文结论中的结论相反。