LSAT 8 | Section 1 | Logical Reasoning: Q18

LR Question 18 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Jones: Prehistoric wooden tools found in South America…

QUESTION TYPE: Method of Reasoning

ARGUMENTS: Jones concludes that attribution of the tools (who owned them) must have been incorrect. The tools were attributed to people who had migrated south from Alaska. He believes this was incorrect because no similar tools were found anywhere between Alaska and South America earlier than 13,000 years ago (when people were migrating southward.)

Smith believes Jones’ evidence is inconclusive. He thinks this because the tools in question were preserved in peat bogs. It is therefore possible that earlier tools further north simply decomposed because they had no peat bogs to preserve them.

ANALYSIS: Smith points out that there is an alternate explanation for the lack of wooden tools further north.

___________

1. Smith didn’t cite any studies.
2. Smith didn’t say that Jones’ put words into the scientists’ mouths.
3. Smith didn’t say that any of the evidence Jones cited was inaccurate. He said it was insufficient.
4. Smith didn’t say Jones was wrong. He said he didn’t have enough evidence.
5. CORRECT. Jones implicitly assumed that the fact that we haven’t found any tools further north means that none ever existed. Smith points out this assumption is unsupported. The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence.

Recap: The question begins with “Jones: Prehistoric wooden tools found in South America”. It is a Method of Reasoning question. Learn more about LSAT Method of Reasoning questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.