December 2011 LSAT Section 4 Question 24

Paleomycologists, scientists who study ancient forms of fungi, are invariably acquainted with the scholarly publicati...

shafieiava on February 26, 2020

Diagram/approach?

Can you diagram this question? During my first attempt of the question I didn't see clear diagrammable statements, but at a second glance the flawed parallel reasoning I believe is being shown is just reverses? I diagrammed the stimulus as P>ASP; ASP; Therefore P. Then I diagrammed the correct answer as GAD> CFD; CFD; Therefore GAD. Which to my understanding also just reverses. Can someone confirm my analysis of the stimulus and correct answer here? Thanks in advance.

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Ravi on February 26, 2020

@shafieiava,

Happy to help. Here's how I'd diagram this question:

Premise 1: Paleomycologist - >Acquainted with publications of all other
paleomycologists

Premise 2: Mansour - >Acquainted with the publication of a
paleomycologist (Professor DeAngelis)

Conclusion: Mansour - >Paleomycologist

We can simply the structure of this argument to

Premise 1: A - >B

Premise 2: C - >D

Conclusion: C - >A

This is obviously a flawed argument structure. We need to find the
answer choice that mirrors this flawed structure.

(A) says, "When a flight on Global Airlines is delayed, all connecting
Global Airlines flights are also delayed so that the passengers can
make their connections. Since Friedaâ€™s connecting flight on Global was
delayed, her first flight must have also been a delayed Global
Airlines flight."

Here's how we can diagram (A):

Premise 1: Delayed flight on Global Airlines - >Delayed connecting flight

Premise 2: Freida's flight - >Delayed connecting flight on Global Airlines

Conclusion: Freida's Flight - >Delayed flight on Global Airlines

This structure simplifies to

Premise 1: A - >B

Premise 2: C - >D

Conclusion: C - >A

This matches the flawed structure we found in the stimulus, so (A) is
the correct answer choice.

Does this make sense? Let us know if you have any other questions!