LSAT 76, Logical Reasoning II, Q12, LSATHacks

LR Question 12 Explanation, by LSATHacks

QUESTION TEXT: Researcher: Research has shown that inhaling the scent…

QUESTION TYPE: Necessary Assumption

CONCLUSION: Sniffing lavender can reduce illness.

REASONING: Lavender reduces stress. Intense stress weakens the immune system, therefore increasing illness.

ANALYSIS: The LSAT tests your ability to notice small but important distinctions. Lavender reduces stress, but only intense stress is known to cause illness. If you have a normal amount of stress and sniff lavender, we can’t say that you’ll be healthier.

This is a necessary assumption question. So the author is assuming that at least some people inhaling lavender are under enough stress that their immune systems are harmed.

___________

1. Who cares about other scents? The argument is only about Lavender.
   Negation: Other scents have no impact on stress, but lavender does.
2. CORRECT. If this isn’t true, the argument fails.
   Negation: No people who inhale lavender are under enough stress to impair their immune systems.
3. How is this relevant? If one person was 0.0001% more susceptible to illness than average, what impact would that have on the argument?
   Negation: 1 person who uses lavender for relaxation is 0.0001% more susceptible to illness than the average. Everyone else is exactly average.
4. This isn’t necessary. There could be other causes, as long as stress reduction is a cause.
   Negation: Lavender sometimes reduces the incidence of illness by reducing stress, and other times reduces illness for other reasons.
5. This weakens the argument. The author argued that lavender’s stress reduction will help reduce illness. This answer says that lavender can only do that if someone is under a lot of stress. The argument is stronger if this is negated.
   Negation: Stress reduction helps people avoid illness no matter their level of stress.

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