LSAT 130 | Section 1 | Logical Reasoning: Q15

LR Question 15 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Almost all advances in genetic research give rise to ethical

QUESTION TYPE: Must be True

FACTS: Genetic research is either funded exclusively by government, or exclusively by industry.

Most research has government funding.

Almost all genetic research advances lead to ethical dilemmas.

ANALYSIS: Research requires funding (presumably). So all research advances come from research that had funding. The funding came from governments or corporations, and some of those projects led to ethical dilemmas.

So, we can say that ethical dilemmas were only possible because of government or corporate funding.

___________

1. We don’t know this. Most funding comes from governments, but maybe it is ineffective. It’s possible that most advances come from the minority of research funded by corporations.
2. We don’t know how common advances are. It’s possible only 1% of projects lead to advances. In which case, only a small portion of government funding would lead to dilemmas.
3. As with A, we don’t know this. Maybe advances are rare, and maybe corporate funding is generally ineffective. It’s possible corporate research has no achievements!
4. CORRECT. This has to be true. Assuming genetic research requires funding (a fair assumption), then all of that funding comes from governments or corporations.
5. We don’t know this. There might be a way in the future to avoid ethical dilemmas. Also, it’s possible the advances (and ethical dilemmas) are clustered in corporate research. If the government funding is ineffective, then it won’t generate advances or dilemmas.