June 2007 LSAT Question Explanations June 2007 - Sec 2 - LR...

June 2007 - Sec 2 - LR - Q18

Video Transcript:

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Question 18: Modern science is built on the process of posing hypotheses and
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testing them against observations — in essence, attempting to show that the
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hypotheses are incorrect.
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Nothing brings more recognition than overthrowing conventional wisdom. It is
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accordingly unsurprising that some scientists are skeptical of the widely
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accepted predictions of global warming.
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What is instead remarkable is that with hundreds of researchers striving to
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make breakthroughs in climatology, very few find evidence that global warming is
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unlikely. Alright, so we know first step: argument or facts? And here we actually
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have just a statement of facts. So nothing for us to do here. We proceeded to the question
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stem. The information above provides the most support for which one of the
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following statements? So 'most support'... This is a must be true question. So looking
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for the answer choice that is directly supported by the information in the
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passage. Let's take a look at (A). Most scientists who are reluctant to accept
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the global warming hypothesis are not acting in accordance with accepted
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standards of scientific debate. And you notice we have nothing in the passage that
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supports (A) accepted standards of scientific debate. All we know is that
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moderate science is built on the process of posing hypotheses and testing against
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observations and it's remarkable that with hundreds of researchers striving to make breakthroughs in climatology
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very few can find evidence that global warming is unlikely. So you notice (A) is not
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supported.
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It is not necessarily true. So (A) would be eliminated.
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Which brings me to (B). Most researchers in climatology have a substantial motive
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to find evidence that would discredit the global warming hypothesis. And is
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(B) supported by the information in the passage? You notice the second sentence
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tells us that nothing brings more recognition the overthrowing conventional wisdom.
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So, therefore, most researchers in climatology have substantial motive to find evidence
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that would discredit global warming hypothesis because again the substantial motive
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would be the recognition that overthrowing conventional wisdom that global warming is true would bring them. So (B) is directly
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supported by the information in the passage. So (B) would be the correct answer. But again
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let's make sure. Checking (C): There is evidence that conclusively shows that
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the global warming hypothesis is true. Again that is never stated in the passage. No
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support for (C). All we know is that very few have found evidence that global
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warming is unlikely but nothing about evidence conclusively showing that global
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warming is true. So (C) would be eliminated. Which brings me to (D). Scientists who are
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skeptical about global warming had not offered any alternative hypotheses to
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explain climatological data. And again you notice that is not supported by the
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the information in the passage. All we know is that very few scientists have found evidence
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that global warming is unlikely. Nothing about whether they've offered any
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alternative hypotheses to explain climatological data. So (D) does not
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follow and (D) would be eliminated. Again not necessarily true.
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Which brings me to (E). Research in global warming is primarily driven by a desire
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for recognition in the scientific community. And again not supported by the
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information in the passage. All we know is that nothing brings more recognition
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than overthrowing conventional wisdom but to say that it's primarily driven by a
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desire for recognition is not supported.
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So (E) would be eliminated again because (E) is not necessarily true.