LSAT 155 | Section 4 | Logical Reasoning: Q24

LR Question 24 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: A theory cannot properly be regarded as empirical unless…

QUESTION TYPE: Principle

PRINCIPLE: A theory cannot be empirical unless it could be refuted by some conceivable observation.

ANALYSIS: The author is telling us how to tell that a theory is not empirical. They basically say that an empirical theory must be able to be proven false in some way. Note that this principle doesn’t let us conclude that a theory is empirical – we only have a tool for declaring a theory not empirical.

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1. You might think that if nobody was present for it, then no conceivable observation could refute it. But this isn’t necessarily the case. The Big Bang theory could include certain observable phenomena in the present that could be observed.
2. This wants us to conclude that there is no conceivable observation to refute set theory. But we can’t make that conclusion with our principle.
3. CORRECT. Our principle allows us to conclude that psychoanalysis is not empirical, because there is no conceivable observation that would refute it.
4. Our principle doesn’t let us conclude something is empirical, only identify some theories that are not empirical.
5. We really can’t conclude that a theory is true or false. Only that it is not empirical.

Recap: The question begins with “A theory cannot properly be regarded as empirical unless”. It is a Principle question. Learn more about LSAT Principle questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.