LSAT 150 | Section 2 | Logical Reasoning: Q19

LR Question 19 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: If you study history, then you will appreciate the vast…

QUESTION TYPE: Flawed Parallel Reasoning

CONCLUSION: Study history ➞ reflect on your civilization

REASONING:

Study history ➞ appreciate differences

Reflect on your own civilization ➞ appreciate differences

ANALYSIS: This argument has two conditional statements with the same necessary condition. It then incorrectly combines the sufficient conditions. You can’t do that. Here’s a parallel example:

Queen Elizabeth ➞ British

Kate Middleton ➞ British

Therefore, Queen Elizabeth is Princess Kate. Hopefully this demonstrates the flaw by analogy. You can’t combine sufficient conditions.

To parallel the flaw, look for two statements with the same necessary condition. Any answer with statements that chain together is wrong.

___________

1. This is almost a good argument! It has this chain.
   Study ancient art ➞ appreciate accomplish ➞ understand modern art
   The only flaw is that the conclusion jumps from understand modern art to appreciate modern art. But that’s not the same flaw as the stimulus.
2. CORRECT. The necessary conditions match! And the conclusion incorrectly combines the sufficient conditions.
   Learn latin ➞ improve vocabulary
   Study great works ➞ improve vocabulary
   Conclusion: Learn latin ➞ study great works
3. As in answer A, the statements here chain together: travelling ➞ appreciation SOME study history
   Further, the word “often” is a “some” statement, not a condition – another reason to reject this answer.
4. I think this is actually a good argument, if you make the reasonable assumption that internalizing good habits will improve your odds of success.
5. This has the opposite format: both sufficient conditions are the same. And, I think it’s actually a good argument, assuming “can come to appreciate other cultures” is a “some” statement. If two sufficient conditions are the same (and exist), then you can always combine the two necessary conditions to form a “some” statement.
   Informed➞ read newspaper
   Informed ➞ appreciate cultures
   SOME people who read newspapers appreciate cultures.

Recap: The question begins with “If you study history, then you will appreciate the vast”. It is a Flawed Parallel Reasoning question. Learn how to master LSAT Flawed Parallel questions on the LSAT Logical Reasoning question types page.