Question #1582

Video Explanation Confusing

Started by Dieg) · started 2021-10-14 16:02 · last activity 2022-04-30 00:41 · 4 replies

At first, I diagramed this question as "w-m-c" and "c-m-f," which would suggest that the conclusion that some are both cowards and fools is valid. However, the video explanation says that these two premises are some statements. The tutor states "well, 'all too many' is the same as many [incomprehensible] many can be represented by some." Maybe I missed an important part of what she said, but it seems like this statement contradicts itself. For the next premise, she states that "few cowards are not fools actually implies that at least one coward is a fool." Assuming few is referring to the minority, wouldn't the statement as a whole suggest that the majority of cowards are fools?

Replies

  1. Dieg) · 2021-12-23 19:10

    I get it now, for anyone who has the same question: "all too many" is a subjective statement, it could mean anything. One person out of 100 could be "all too many"

  2. Dieg) · 2021-12-23 19:57

    For the second part, this is the best I can do at an explanation (although, IMHO LSAT should not have included this question): if you have 10 c's (c=cowards): c c c c c c c c c c and 2 c's fail to be fools, you may interpret that as meaning 8 cowards do not fail to be fools (i.e., they succeed in being fools). Therefore, C-m-F. However, the passage is not using "few" as a noun to mean the minority, but rather as an adjective to mean a "small number." Since "few" (i.e., a small number) is subjective in this case, we can only conclude that C-s-F (e.g, 8/10 C's could fail to be fools, and this could still be "few" if you believe 8 to be a small number).

  3. Ravi · 2022-02-13 13:39

    You're right that "all too many" and "few" can just be diagrammed as "some" statements. Weaklings--some--cowards Cowards--some--fools The argument then concludes Weaklings--some--fools We need an answer that invalidly combines two some statements to infer a third some statement. With C, we have Painters--some--musicians Musicians--some--dancers Conclusion: painters--some--dancers This has the same flawed structure of trying to combine two some statements to deduce a third some statement, so it's the correct answer choice.

  4. NULL · 2022-04-30 00:41

    The answer explanation under the question says "Coward-most-fool" instead of "Coward-some-fool"

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