LSAT 102 | Section 4 | Logical Reasoning: Q23

LR Question 23 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Only computer scientists understand the architecture…

QUESTION TYPE: Flawed Reasoning

CONCLUSION: You can’t be a computer scientist unless you appreciate the advances in technology.

REASONING: Only computer scientists appreciate the advances in technology, because only they understand the architecture of computers.

ANALYSIS: This is useful to diagram, because the argument gets things backwards. The argument shows:

Appreciate Advances ➞ Understand Architecture ➞ Computer Scientist

But the conclusion says:

Computer Scientist ➞ Appreciate Advances

This is no good. There could be some computer scientists who hate the advances in computer technology. Being a computer scientist was a necessary condition for appreciating the advances, not a sufficient condition.

___________

1. There’s a pretty clear relationship: being a computer scientist is a necessary condition for understanding the advances. The problem is that the conclusion treats being a computer scientist as a sufficient condition.
2. CORRECT. This is quite possible, since being a computer scientist was only a necessary condition for appreciating the advances.
3. The argument didn’t say that computer scientists liked nothing else besides advancing technology.
4. This isn’t true. We can draw a logical conclusion: if you appreciate the advances in technology, you’re a computer scientist.
5. Not at all. The premises say you only understand the architecture of computers if you’re a computer scientist.

Recap: The question begins with “Only computer scientists understand the architecture”. It is a Flawed Reasoning question. Learn how to master LSAT Flaw questions on the LSAT Logical Reasoning question types page.