LSAT 112 – Section 3 – Question 25

LSAT 112 - Section 3 - Question 25

December 2001

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Question QuickView	Type	Tags	Answer Choices	Curve	Question Difficulty	Psg/Game/S Difficulty	Explanation
PT112 S3 Q25	+LR	Flaw or descriptive weakening +Flaw Conditional Reasoning +CondR Causal Reasoning +CausR Eliminating Options +ElimOpt	A 8% 155 B 8% 154 C 6% 154 D 77% 161 E 1% 150	139 149 159	+Medium	144.548 +SubsectionEasier

Anthropologist: All music is based on a few main systems of scale building. Clearly, if the popularity of a musical scale were a result of social conditioning, we would expect, given the diversity of social systems, a diverse mixture of diatonic and nondiatonic scales in the world’s music. Yet diatonic scales have always dominated the music of most of the world. Therefore, the popularity of diatonic music can be attributed only to innate dispositions of the human mind.

Summarize Argument: Phenomenon-Hypothesis

The anthropologist hypothesizes that human nature alone explains the widespread popularity of diatonic music. He supports this by saying that if musical popularity was based on social conditioning, we'd expect to see a mix of diatonic and nondiatonic scales in music across different cultures. However, diatonic scales have always been the dominant type of music worldwide.

Identify and Describe Flaw

The anthropologist offers two possible explanations for the popularity of diatonic music: human nature (or “innate dispositions...”) and social conditioning. He then assumes that if social conditioning alone can’t explain its popularity, then human nature must be the sole explanation. He ignores the possibility that human nature and social conditioning could explain it together, or that some other factor might also be involved.

consider the possibility that some people appreciate nondiatonic music more than they do diatonic music

The anthropologist doesn’t fail to consider this possibility. Diatonic scales “have always dominated the music of the world,” but it’s still possible that some people appreciate nondiatonic music more.

explain how innate dispositions increase appreciation of nondiatonic music

The anthropologist doesn’t explain this, but he doesn’t need to explain it. He’s arguing that innate dispositions explain the popularity of diatonic music.

explain the existence of diatonic scales as well as the existence of nondiatonic scales

The anthropologist doesn’t explain this, but he doesn’t need to. He just needs to explain why diatonic music is more popular, given the fact that both kinds of scales exist.

consider that innate dispositions and social conditioning could jointly affect the popularity of a type of music

The author concludes that innate dispositions alone explain the popularity of diatonic music, simply because social conditioning alone does not explain it. He fails to consider that both of these factors might affect the popularity of diatonic music together.

consider whether any appreciation of nondiatonic music is demonstrated by some nonhuman species of animals

The anthropologist’s argument is only concerned with the popularity of diatonic music among humans. Whether some animals appreciate nondiatonic music is irrelevant.

LSAT 112 – Section 3 – Question 25

LSAT 112 - Section 3 - Question 25

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LSAT PrepTest 112 Explanations

Section 1 - Logical Reasoning

Section 2 - Reading Comprehension

Section 3 - Logical Reasoning

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

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