LSAT 118 | Section 3 | Logical Reasoning: Q16

LR Question 16 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Numerous paintings and engravings representing warfare can…

QUESTION TYPE: Necessary Assumption

CONCLUSION: Warfare must have developed as a result of the transition to an agricultural society.

REASONING: We have found paintings that show warfare dating back to the Neolithic period. We haven’t found any paintings from earlier periods.

ANALYSIS: This argument is assuming that the earliest paintings we have found are also the earliest paintings that exist.

Another assumption (and the correct answer) is that war did not begin before we started painting.

___________

1. This doesn’t matter as long as some paintings depicted warfare. We just need to prove that war existed.
2. It doesn’t matter why warfare existed as long as it did exist. 
3. CORRECT. If warfare existed before painting started then warfare could have existed earlier than the Neolithic. 
4. It’s only necessary that warfare did develop as a result of civilization. It isn’t necessary that it would have inevitably developed no matter what we did.
5. Paintings of agriculture don’t matter. We’re trying to date the development of warfare. We already know that the war paintings were created when humanity transitioned to agriculture.