LSAT 108 | Section 3 | Logical Reasoning: Q26

LR Question 26 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Anthropologist: After mapping the complete dominance hierarchy …

QUESTION TYPE: Point at Issue

ARGUMENTS: ANTHROPOLOGIST’S ARGUMENT: We assumed every monkey knows hierarchy and used that assumption to accurately predict complex group behavior. So that assumption must be true.

PRIMATOLOGIST’S ARGUMENT: Your conclusion makes no sense. A false assumption can still produce accurate predictions.

ANALYSIS: The anthropologist thinks that because the assumption helped make a successful prediction, the assumption must be true.

The primatologist thinks that a successful prediction isn’t enough to conclude that the assumption is true.

___________

1. The primatologist does agree that the assumption helped the anthropologist make those predictions, and he doesn’t dispute the success of those predictions. Also, the stimulus talks about complex group behavior, not individual monkeys.
2. The primatologist clearly believes this prediction is possible. The anthropologist never discusses cash machines.
3. The anthropologist thinks they do. But the primatologist never says they can’t. He could believe monkeys have this knowledge but think the anthropologist hasn’t proved it.
4. CORRECT. The anthropologist thinks yes. The primatologist says no.
5. Nobody discusses generalizing to all vervet monkeys or experimental situations.