LSAT 150 | Section 2 | Logical Reasoning: Q20

LR Question 20 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: A philosophical paradox is a particularly baffling sort…

QUESTION TYPE: Must be True

FACTS: With a paradox, your intuitions tell you:

1. The conclusion must be false.
2. The conclusion follows logically, from true premises.

To solve the paradox, you must accept one of these:

• Conclusion true, or
• At least one premise false, or
• Conclusion doesn’t actually follow

ANALYSIS: To word the stimulus more simply:

• Your intuitions tell you that three things are true (conclusion false, conclusions follows, premises true)
• To solve the paradox you must accept that at least one of those things is false

So to solve the paradox, something that seems true must be false.

___________

1. CORRECT. See the analysis above. One of the three things that “seems” true must be accepted as incorrect, in order to solve a paradox.
2. This contradicts the stimulus. It’s possible that the conclusion is false, and the premises are true, but the conclusion doesn’t follow from the premises. (E.g. “money exists, so goblins exist” is a false premise and a true conclusion – but it doesn’t follow!)
3. The stimulus didn’t say which kind of paradox is most baffling.
4. The stimulus gave three options for solving a paradox, but it didn’t say which would be more popular or whether people would differ in their approaches.
5. This contradicts the stimulus. The author said that “accept the conclusion is true” is only one of three possible ways to solve the paradox. It’s not necessary.

Recap: The question begins with “A philosophical paradox is a particularly baffling sort”. It is a Must be True question. Learn more about LSAT MBT questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.