PrepTest 146

[lcid:3682] Prep Test 146 LSAT — Logical Reasoning — S3 Logical reasoning

Question prompt

Seventeenth-century proponents of the Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: C

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

Question Type

Argument Structure Questions

Answer choices

  1. A
    It states a principle Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    Incorrect. First, it's not a principle—since it's talking about how something has been construed, it must be a viewpoint. Second, the author pivots away from this statement, so she's not attempting to establish it.
  2. B
    It describes a general Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    Incorrect. While the proliferation of arguments itself might be a phenomenon that the argument tries to explain, the statement in question is itself a competing explanation for that phenomenon.
  3. C
    It introduces a hypothesis Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C matches the stem
    Correct. Argument or Facts:
    Argument

    Valid or Flawed:
    Flawed

    Question Type:
    Argument Structure

    Stimulus Summary:
    Many mechanists tried to use their philosophy to justify monarchies.
    Opposing point Ð The various arguments show mechanism is in tension with democracy
    Conclusion Ð It's more likely the arguments were numerous because they didn't work, so mechanism support democracy

    Answer Anticipation:
    The argument brings up background describing a certain school of philosophy and an argument its proponents tried to make.From there, it pivots to an opposing point ("has been construed") that the author then pivots away from ("But"), and the statement in question is that opposing point. So we should look for an answer saying that it's a conclusion that the author directly attacks/undermines in reaching an opposite conclusion.

    Answer Explanation:
    The statement in question is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon—a hypothesis meant to explain why so many mechanists argued for monarchy. The author pivots away from this explanation to another one. So this answer correctly describes the statement in question—it's a hypothesis (potential explanation) that the argument challenges.

    Key Takeaway:
    There are some words on the LSAT that you shouldn't get too hung up on—theory, hypothesis, and phenomenon being among them. There are some subtle differences there, but the LSAT uses them pretty generically so if an answer is good except you don't like one of those words, at least leave that answer until you find something you like better. "Phenomenon" in particular can mean essentially anything that exists.
  4. D
    It provides evidence in Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    Incorrect. Since the statement in question is immediately followed by a pivot that starts, "But it is more likely that," it can't be a premise in support of the main point.
  5. E
    It expresses the conclusion Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    Incorrect. The statement is the conclusion/hypothesis of the opposing point, and it comes before a pivot, so it can't be the main point.

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