LSAT 5 | Section 1 | Logical Reasoning: Q16

LR Question 16 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: The seventeenth-century physicist Sir Isaac Newton…

QUESTION TYPE: Sufficient Assumption

CONCLUSION: 18th century chemistry would have been more advanced if 17th century alchemists had published their results.

REASONING: No reason is given. The rest of the question is a discussion of Isaac Newton’s attempts at alchemy.

ANALYSIS: We have to connect the fact that alchemical results of the 17th century were not published to chemistry in the 18th century being less advanced.

___________

1. The argument is not claiming historians caused the lack of progress. It argues Newton and other alchemists should have published their results.
2. CORRECT. If this is true, then reports of Newton’s failed experiments would have increased chemical knowledge in the 18th century.
3. This doesn’t tell us anything about how 18th century chemistry would have been affected.
4. This has nothing to do with science in the 17th and 18th centuries. At least some people back then could have understood Newton’s experiments.
5. The argument isn’t concluding that Newton could have succeeded. It argues that chemistry would have been strengthened had he released his (failed) results.

Recap: The question begins with “The seventeenth-century physicist Sir Isaac Newton”. It is a Sufficient Assumption question. Learn more about LSAT Sufficient questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.