According to the passage, what effect does encountering an automobile with eighteen wheels have on the hypothesis 'All automobiles have only four wheels'?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Encountering an automobile with eighteen wheels contradicts the hypothesis that all automobiles have only four wheels. This contradicts the initial hypothesis, proving it to be false. The passage explains that when evidence disproves a hypothesis, it directly contradicts the hypothesis, leading to its disproof. In the context of the monkey example provided, encountering a hairless monkey out of many hairy monkeys disproved the hypothesis 'All monkeys are hairy.' Therefore, the presence of an automobile with eighteen wheels disproves the hypothesis that all automobiles have only four wheels. Other choices are incorrect because encountering such an automobile directly contradicts the initial hypothesis, leading to its disproof, rather than proving it, raising its probability, or decreasing its probability.