LSAT 131 | Section 3 | Logical Reasoning: Q1

LR Question 1 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: New technologies that promise to extend life and decrease

QUESTION TYPE: Paradox

PARADOX: Life extension and pain reduction research requires capital, but they are unlikely to pay off financially, because scientific research is uncertain. However, some people are investing in such research.

ANALYSIS: This stimulus only mentions financial gains. It’s possible some people want to invest in life extension for other reasons. Maybe they want to live longer, or they want to help humanity.

The right answer uses a different approach. It points out that you might get no return, say, 90% of the time, but the 10% of the time you do get a return you get a massive return.

___________

1. CORRECT. This makes sense. Most of the time, biotech doesn’t pay off. But when it does pay off, it pays off big.
2. This just tells us a fact about the development of technology. It doesn’t tell us why people are investing.
3. This tells us that other investment is also unlikely to produce a return. But that doesn’t tell us why people invest.
4. This tells us about the opposite situation: “surefire” investments ultimately returning nothing. That’s sad, but it tells us nothing about biotech.
5. Well, that’s depressing. This makes it less likely that someone would want to invest, and makes the paradox more confusing.