4. The filmmakers modeled the scenario after the Titanic, which had an insufficient number of lifeboats. It also plays into the hubris and corporate greed idea. However - there is still a great deal of confusion surrounding this among the fanbase (and in the Nostromo model builders subculture!). This question was not properly explored in the film - see the main article and the comments here:
http://alienexplorations.blogspot.com/1979/10/confusion-about-number-of-nostromos.html
Even the URL is confusing :-) The number of "Nostromos" is not in question (there is only 1 Nostromo in the film, as discussed in my reply to your very first question in this thread), but the number of "Narcissuses" - is I think what the URL should have been. But well... confusion.
The simple solution for this would have been to have the crew shortly discuss that there are 2 escape shuttles, but the other one is out of commission for some reason, and repairing it is not possible until they reach a repair dock somewhere. That would have addressed this once and for all. The way it is presented in the movie is nonsensical, as Ripley refers to "the" shuttle, which implies there are no other means of escape, should a self destruct be initiated... Which is not corporate greed, it's a case of blatant disregard for really basic safety requirements - but then again - Titanic... It is not completely out of the realm of possibilities for W-Y to be that scummy, but it's hard to stomach the crew going along with it. So mentioning a second, inoperable shuttle would have clarified this question.
Alas, we never got word of a second shuttle. If there was a second shuttle, the crew would have abandoned ship immediately after the death of Dallas, so from plot perspective they needed to create a situation where they are not able to leave the ship, unless there are only three left. Understandable, but handled a bit sloppily, I'll give you that.
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