Logical reasoning PrepTest 129 · Section 2 · Question 12

Incorrect. This answer is a reversal of the connection we need—it goes from the conclusion (organizations becoming increasingly involved) to the premise (main purpose), instead of from the premise to the conclusion.

Incorrect. While this answer is necessary for the argument to work, it's not sufficient. This answer would be correct in a different question type! But these organizations becoming aware of the profitability of these areas doesn't guarantee they'll get involved.

Incorrect. The conclusion is about what will happen in the future. Just because criminal organizations are currently involved in every profit-generating area doesn't mean that they'll continue to move into each such area in the future. In selecting this answer, a person would commit a past to future flaw.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Strengthen with Sufficient Premise

Stimulus Summary:
Criminal organizations' main purpose is profit. Biotech and infotech advances will make profit. Therefore, criminal organizations will get involved in bio/infotech.

Answer Anticipation:
When motive is raised on the LSAT, it's important to the question. And purpose is essentially the same as motive—criminal organizations are motivated by a desire to generate profits. So the actions they take will likely be motivated by a desire to make money.

And it's true that biotech and infotech are two areas where there's profit to be made! However, that doesn't mean that criminal organizations will go into those areas. Just because you're motivated by profit doesn't mean that you'll go into every area where profit is to be made—just like someone motivated by hunger won't eat every type of food. This argument is assuming that, since they're motivated by profit, these organizations will go into any area that promises profits, which is a gap in reasoning that the correct answer will need to fill.

Answer Explanation:
This answer connects the premises to the conclusion. If any organization whose main purpose is to generate profits—which includes criminal organizations—will move into any technological revolution that promises to generate large profits—which includes info and biotech—then criminal organizations are guaranteed to move into these areas, as the conclusion states.

Key Takeaway:
Strengthen with Sufficient Premise questions will often feature answers that are the reverse of the connection needed—we saw that here with answer choice (A). Direction matters in these questions! The correct answer will need to go from the premise to the conclusion.

That said, one strategy for maximizing your time when you've identified the connection that needs to be made is not to worry about directionality until you've found two answers that make the connection. If only one answer draws the connection you need, then it must also go in the right direction or there isn't a correct answer choice!

Incorrect. There's a difference between being willing to do something and actually doing it. Since the conclusion of the argument is that criminal organizations will try to become involved in these areas, it can't be justified by an answer establishing merely that they'd be willing to go into these areas.