LSAT 32, Logical Reasoning II, Q11

QUESTION TEXT: Biologist: Humans have five fingers because we…

QUESTION TYPE: Strengthen 

CONCLUSION: If humans had descended from a six phalanged fish then we would be just as happy with six fingers. 

REASONING: We only have five fingers because we descended from fish with five phalanges. Having five fingers is no more or less useful than any other arrangement.

ANALYSIS: It’s clear from the biologist’s evidence that six fingers actually would be just as useful. The right answer shows that we are always equally content with things of equal usefulness. 

___________

1. This doesn’t matter, as long as we would have the same average level of contentment if we had six fingers instead. 
2. This strongly weakens the argument. We would not be equally content with six fingers even though they would be equally useful.
3. CORRECT. Since six fingers are equally useful we would be equally content with them. 
4. This doesn’t tell us that we would be just as content with six fingers. Our illusions might cause us to believe they were more or less useful. 
5. The biologist is speaking hypothetically. It doesn’t matter if such a fish actually existed. The biologist is asking us to consider what would happen if it had existed and if we had descended from it. 

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