December 1995 LSAT Section 3 Question 25

By examining fossilized beetles, a research team has produced the most detailed description yet of temperatures in Br...

Nativeguy on April 14, 2023

Please, Please help

It would seem that if we negate this sentence "The highest actual summer temperature at a place and period equaled the average of the highest temperatures that could have been tolerated by each of the beetle species found there and dated to that period". The argument would not stand "The highest actual summer temperature at a place and period "DID NOT" equal the average of the highest temperatures that could have been tolerated by each of the beetle species found there and dated to that period". It would seem if this is true then the Argument falls apart, because they cannot find out the existing tolerances. IF this was the case. How is D wrong ?

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Emil-Kunkin on April 16, 2023

Hi, d is essentially saying that the highest actual temps were the same as the maximum temp that the bugs would have withstood. This does not have to be true. The argument is that the bugs are used to determine the maximum POSSIBLE temps in an area. It is irrelevant if the maximum was actually hit, all the bugs do is establish an upper limit, but it doesn't matter if the temps actually hit that limit or not.