LSAT 152 | Section 4 | Logical Reasoning: Q4

LR Question 4 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Warner: Until recently, most competitive swimmers were high school …

QUESTION TYPE: Method of Reasoning

ARGUMENTS: WARNER’S ARGUMENT: Swimmers now compete longer than before, so training must have improved.

YOUNG’S ARGUMENT: Not necessarily. No one can be both a competitive swimmer and have a job, but now competitive swimming is a job.

ANALYSIS: Young is providing a different explanation. Before, people probably had to quit competitive swimming to go get a job so they could support themselves as adults. Now, you can make a living from competitive swimming, so you don’t have to quit to get a job. So Young is saying this phenomenon might have nothing to do with training.

___________

1. Young accepts the facts but offers a different explanation.
2. No specific counterexample is given. Young does not describe a particular swimmer or situation.
3. This is about confusing sufficient and necessary conditions, which is not what is happening here.
4. There’s no accusation of circular reasoning.
5. CORRECT. Young provides an alternative explanation for why swimmers are competing longer.