LSAT 131 – Section 1 – Question 19

LSAT 131 - Section 1 - Question 19

December 2009

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT131 S1 Q19
+LR
+Exp
Sufficient assumption +SA
Conditional Reasoning +CondR
Link Assumption +LinkA
A
1%
156
B
91%
166
C
6%
157
D
1%
155
E
1%
155
138
146
154
 +Medium 147.383 +SubsectionMedium

J.Y.’s explanation

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Geneticist: Genes, like viruses, have a strong tendency to self-replicate; this has led some biologists to call genes “selfish.” This term is, in this instance, intended to be defined behaviorally: it describes what genes do without ascribing intentions to them. But even given that genes are ascribed no intentions, the label “selfish” as applied to genes is a misnomer. Selfishness only concerns bringing about the best conditions for oneself; creating replicas of oneself is not selfish.

Summary
The geneticist first concludes that replicating is not selfish, and from this ultimately concludes that “selfish” isn’t an accurate label for genes. Why isn’t replicating selfish? Because to be selfish, you must be bringing out the best conditions for yourself.

Missing Connection
If we can validly draw the geneticist’s sub-conclusion (replicating is not selfish), then we have an automatic ticket to her conclusion. The only support provided for the sub-conclusion is that bringing about the best conditions for yourself is necessary for selfishness. To validly draw the geneticist’s sub-conclusion, we need to know that replication does not bring about the best conditions for oneself.

A
Bringing about the best conditions for oneself is less important than doing this for others.
Weighing importance of one thing versus another doesn’t help us conclude that replicating is not selfish. (A) only tells us that selfishness is linked to something less important than helping people.
B
Creating replicas of oneself does not help bring about the best conditions for oneself.
This means that replication fails a necessary condition of selfishness, so we can now validly draw the sub-conclusion (replication is not selfish). Since replication is the gene behavior that led to the “selfish” label, we can conclude that it isn’t a good descriptor for genes.
C
The behavioral definition of “selfish” is incompatible with its everyday definition.
The conventional definition of “selfish” is irrelevant. It does not support a conclusion that replication is not selfish.
D
To ignore the fact that self-replication is not limited to genes is to misunderstand genetic behavior.
This tells that replicating behavior doesn’t only occur in genes. This does not help us to conclude that replicating is not selfish, or that genes are not selfish.
E
Biologists have insufficient evidence about genetic behavior to determine whether it is best described as selfish.
Lack of knowledge doesn’t change truth. Whether people feel like they can speak to a certain thing doesn’t change whether it is true or not.
Additionally, we are speaking specifically about genes and replication, not genetic behavior overall.

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LSAT PrepTest 131 Explanations

Section 1 - Logical Reasoning

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Logical Reasoning

Section 4 - Reading Comprehension

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