The EPA Has Estimated That It Would Cost $60 Billion

question 40

Multiple Choice

The EPA has estimated that it would cost $60 billion to remove 85 to 90 percent of water pollutants from industrial and municipal sources,but a zero discharge of pollutants would cost about $320 billion.This suggests that

• A) pollution control costs increase at an increasing rate as the level of pollution desired is lowered.
• B) the costs of pollution remain the same as the environment becomes more polluted.
• C) achieving a zero level of pollution is not very costly compared with the benefits of clean water.
• D) the costs of pollution to society rise as the levels of pollution decline.
• E) society is better off if it makes only minimal efforts to control the level of pollution.

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Definitions:

Hypothetical Syllogism (HS)

A form of logical argument where two conditional statements lead to a conclusion, following the pattern: If A, then B; If B, then C; Therefore, if A, then C.

Modus Ponens (MP)

A logical argument form where if a conditional statement ("if p then q") is accepted, and the antecedent (p) is shown to be true, then the consequent (q) must also be true.

Constructive Dilemma (CD)

A type of logical argument that presents two conditional statements and concludes that if one is true, then a specific outcome follows.

Modus Ponens (MP)

A form of argument in deductive reasoning that applies the following structure: if P then Q; P is asserted to be true, therefore Q must be true.