LSAT 130 | Section 1 | Logical Reasoning: Q16

LR Question 16 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Corporate businesses, like species, must adapt to survive

QUESTION TYPE: Necessary Assumption

CONCLUSION: Sometimes a business can only survive by changing into a different corporation.

REASONING: Businesses need to adapt to survive. Sometimes a business can only adapt by changing its core corporate philosophy.

ANALYSIS: The conclusion says “becoming a different corporation.” The evidence says “changing its core corporate philosophy.” The necessary assumption is that those two terms are the same thing.

Incidentally, I find corporate transformations fascinating. For instance, Wells Fargo was originally a mail/stagecoach delivery and security company in the old west. American Express delivered goods and parcels. And Nintendo originally made playing cards, and ventured into a variety of businesses. At one point they even had a brand of love hotels!

___________

1. This isn’t required. The argument only said that some businesses need to change philosophies to adapt.
2. This answer just jumbles together two concepts from the stimulus. This is here to catch you if you were entirely confused by the stimulus.
   (The point of changing core philosophies was to prevent businesses from becoming inefficient.)
3. Actually, this wasn’t a requirement. It’s possible all current corporations have the same philosophy. The argument’s only requirement is that sometimes those philosophies must eventually be changed, to adapt.
4. This contradicts the argument. The author said that sometimes change is required for existence.
5. CORRECT. If a company can change without becoming a different corporation, then the conclusion isn’t supported.
   Negation: A business can change core corporate philosophies while remaining the same corporation.