Logical reasoning PrepTest 124 · Section 1 · Question 25

Incorrect. This answer is very much a reversal of the assumption of the argument, where it's assumed that anything involving math is a science.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Errors in Reasoning

Stimulus Summary:
Astrology uses math and astronomy (sciences) and synthesizes factors into a coherent statement (art), so it's both an art and a science.

Answer Anticipation:
The argument here concludes that astrology is both an art and a science. To reach that conclusion, the argument would need to establish what is sufficient to make something fall into these categories.

It doesn't. Instead, it shows that astrology has some elements that are scientific, and some elements that are artistic, and assumes that sharing these elements is enough to justify the categorization.

Just as there being ice cubes in a Scotch on the rocks doesn't mean that the drink is non-alcoholic, having elements of science as a part of astrology doesn't determine that it is a science. The correct answer should highlight this shift.

Answer Explanation:
Astrology has some scientific components—it uses math and astronomy to make charts. From that, it concludes that astrology is a science without establishing that as being enough to justify that conclusion. This answer highlights the shift made in the argument, so it's the correct answer.

Key Takeaway:
This takeaway is going to be a bit limited and apply less commonly, but it's happened enough that we want to mention it. It has to do with answer choice (D). When the LSAT throws less common, similar, big words at you—here, "astronomical" and "astrological"—there's a good chance that at least one answer is going to use the wrong one, or swap them around. Be very careful when dealing with such a question!

Incorrect. The Occultist seems willing to categorize astrology as pretty much anything, so she doesn't deny the possibility that astrology has some other characteristics that would allow such a third (or fourth, or fifth, or . . . ) categorization.

Incorrect. Careful here—that opening clause is about astronomical knowledge, not astrological knowledge. The argument doesn't assume that astronomical knowledge is scientific because it's needed to make an astrological chart; it assumes that astrology is a science because astronomical knowledge is needed to make an astrological chart.

Incorrect. Similar to (A), this answer is very much the opposite of what the argument assumes. The argument assumes anything that involves such a synthesis is an art, not that anything that is an art involves such a synthesis.