LSAT 4 | Section 4 | Logical Reasoning: Q20

LR Question 20 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: The rise in the prosperity of England subsequent to 1840…

QUESTION TYPE: Parallel Reasoning

CONCLUSION: The rise in England’s economic prosperity was due to free trade.

REASONING: The rise occurred only after that policy had been implemented.

ANALYSIS: This is a bad argument. Just because one thing happens after another, does not mean that the first caused the second.

Otherwise, I could claim that I ended the cold war. It ended only once I was born. I’ll accept donations as thanks for this great feat.

___________

1. This is a bad argument (maybe marsh hawks were temporarily absent last year,) but it doesn’t make a causation correlation error.
2. This is a good argument. It isn’t too definite, but presents good evidence that the circular bypass road probably helped the flow of local traffic.
3. We need more information to decide if this conclusion is correct. Maybe people can still afford homes. But it doesn’t make a causation-correlation error.
4. CORRECT. Yes. Just because the morale building program happened first doesn’t mean that it caused the subsequent improvement in profitability. Correlation is not causation.
5. This is a good argument. If the asteroid collision did cause their extinction, the extinction must have come after the collision.

Recap: The question begins with “The rise in the prosperity of England subsequent to 1840”. It is a Parallel Reasoning question. Learn more about LSAT Parallel questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.