LSAT 151 | Section 3 | Logical Reasoning: Q4

LR Question 4 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: There are only two possible reasons that it would be wrong …

QUESTION TYPE: Sufficient Assumption

CONCLUSION: It’s not wrong to do mining operations on Mars.

REASONING: Causing pollution is only wrong for two reasons: (1) harming ecosystems, or (2) harming humans. The operation would pollute Mars, but it wouldn’t harm humans.

ANALYSIS: There are two possible objections for pollution:

1. It harms ecosystems.
2. It harms humans.

We know that the operations will pollute Mars. To conclude that it wouldn’t be wrong to move forward with it, we have to know that neither reason applies.

The stimulus rules out the second reason: it won’t harm humans. But we don’t know anything about the first reason. We have to rule out harm to ecosystems for the conclusion to follow.

___________

1. Even if mining creates relatively little pollution, it could still be wrong if it harms ecosystems.
2. CORRECT. To conclude mining is not wrong, we have to know it doesn’t harm ecosystems. If there are no ecosystems on Mars, it can’t harm them. So neither objection applies, and it follows that the operation isn’t wrong.
3. The conclusion is derived entirely from eliminating the two objections. It doesn’t matter whether benefits outweigh the costs.
4. Whether it can be done has nothing to do with whether it would be wrong.
5. The issue is whether any ecosystem would be harmed at all, not how valuable the ecosystem is.