LSAT 158 | Section 3 | Logical Reasoning: Q3

LR Question 3 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Newspaper columnist: What caused the current recession…

QUESTION TYPE: Identify the Conclusion

CONCLUSION: Knowing the cause of the recession is not essential to improve the economy.

REASONING: Corrective lenses were developed to treat myopia before it was known to be caused by genetic factors.

ANALYSIS: The conclusion in this passage is phrased in a very obtuse way. The phrase “it is a mistake to assume” shows that the author disagrees with what they’re about to say – in this case, that answering the question (of the recession’s cause) is essential to improve the economy.

The first sentence is a premise – people are debating the cause of the recession. The second is the conclusion – it doesn’t matter why. The third is an analogy – we fixed myopia without knowing the cause, so the same could be done with the economy. The phrase “after all” is a sign that the sentence is evidence for the conclusion.

___________

1. This is not the conclusion and is too broad for the author’s specific point.
2. This is an incorrect reversal of what the author is saying. The author says that knowing the cause isn’t necessary for a solution, but this answer says knowing the cause is not sufficient for a solution.
3. This is not the solution, but rather a premise the author shares.
4. CORRECT. The author is saying that knowing the cause is not essential to improve the economy.
5. This is an analogy offered by the author, but not the conclusion.

Recap: The question begins with “Newspaper columnist: What caused the current recession”. It is a Identify The Conclusion question. Learn how to master LSAT Identify questions on the LSAT Logical Reasoning question types page.