LSAT 6 | Section 3 | Logical Reasoning: Q13

LR Question 13 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Arguing that there was no trade between Europe and East Asia…

QUESTION TYPE: Weaken

CONCLUSION: Absence of evidence of trade is not evidence that there was no trade.

REASONING: The argument uses an analogy about the Yeti. We have no evidence that it exists, but that does not mean we have proven the Yeti is imaginary.

ANALYSIS: Here we are trying to show that we do have sufficient evidence that there was no European-Middle East trade.

___________

1. This supports the idea that trade existed. We want to show that it didn’t.
2. This is actually evidence that there was trade. We’re trying to weaken that argument.
3. This doesn’t weaken the argument that the trade might have existed even if we have no evidence.
4. This supports the idea that we should not conclude the Yeti is imaginary. This doesn’t weaken the argument at all.
5. CORRECT. This provides indirect evidence that there was no trade. If there was trade, it would have been mentioned in the documents. Since it wasn’t mentioned there likely wasn’t any trade.

Recap: The question begins with “Arguing that there was no trade between Europe and East Asia”. It is a Weaken question. Learn how to master LSAT Weaken questions on the LSAT Logical Reasoning question types page.