PrepTest 102

[lcid:3506] Prep Test 102 LSAT — Logical Reasoning — S3 Logical reasoning

Question prompt

Carl: Researchers who perform Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: D

The notes below walk through why it fits the stem and how to eliminate the rest.

Argument or Facts

Argument/Argument

Valid or Flawed

Flawed/Flawed

Question Type

Weaken Questions

Stimulus Summary

C: Animal researchers have to develop pain protocols to minimize or alleviate pain, but doctors don’t do this for people, so they should. D: People can be informed of pain risks and decide to take that on, so they’re unnecessary.

Answer Anticipation

For this argument, we’re tasked with weakening Debbie’s rebuttal. There are two angles we can take on this based on the structure of her argument, and both lead us in the same direction. First, as we noted in the previous question, Debbie’s argument relies on undermining Carl’s reliance on treating the situation of humans and animals as analogous. Debbie points out that the two have a relevant difference, thus calling into question whether they should be treated similarly. Therefore, anything that calls the relevance of that difference into question, or highlights how it’s less important than the similarities will undermine her response. Second, Debbie’s conclusion uses strong language - something is “unnecessary for human beings.” As such, any answer that suggests that pain protocols would be necessary for even a single human being - say, one that’s unconscious before the procedure and thus can’t make a decision about accepting the risk of pain - would undermine her conclusion. In both cases, we’re looking for something that makes at least some human cases similar to animal cases in that the individual can’t make their own decision.

Answer choices

  1. A
    Not all operations that Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    Debbie’s argument relies on the ability of humans to take information about expected pain into account, not that there needs to be expected pain during the operation.
  2. B
    Some experimentation that is Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    Debbie’s argument rebuts the claim that human operations should involve pain protocols, so whether animal experiments are all necessary is out of scope.
  3. C
    Preparing pain protocols is Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited
    Debbie and Carl are debating whether pain protocols should be developed, not whether they’d be time-consuming and costly. Neither even mentions the expense or time required to create one!
  4. D
    Some surgical operations performed Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D matches the stem
    This answer brings up a specific situation where a human is similar to animals - infants, who can’t be informed of or make decisions based on the pain that they’re likely to face during an operation. As such, this answer suggests that pain protocols might be necessary for at least some people, undermining Debbie’s argument that they’re not.
  5. E
    Unalleviated pain after an Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    Debbie’s argument is about pai protocols, not the alleviation of pain. Pain can be alleviated without a pain protocol!

What this tests

Discussion

  • explanation 3 replies

    Started by ariella

View all discussions Start a discussion