LSAT 120 – Section 1 – Question 23

LSAT 120 - Section 1 - Question 23

October 2005

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT120 S1 Q23
+LR
Flaw or descriptive weakening +Flaw
Causal Reasoning +CausR
A
9%
159
B
7%
155
C
2%
155
D
80%
164
E
3%
158
140
149
159
 +Medium 145.819 +SubsectionMedium

Columnist: Neuroscientists have found that states of profound creativity are accompanied by an increase of theta brain waves, which occur in many regions of the brain, including the hippocampus. They also found that listening to music increases theta waves dramatically. Thus, one can attain a state of profound creativity merely by listening to a tape of recorded music.

Summarize Argument: Phenomenon-Hypothesis
The author concludes that listening to music can trigger a state of profound creativity. This is because listening to music increases theta brainwaves. And increased theta brainwaves are found when someone is in a state of profound creativity.

Identify and Describe Flaw
This is the cookie-cutter flaw of assuming that correlation proves causation. The columnist observes that increased theta brainwaves are correlated with states of profound creativity. He then implicitly concludes that theta brainwaves cause a state of profound creativity. (And therefore music, by increasing theta brainwaves, can causally trigger that state.)
But this overlooks the possibility that it’s the other way around: maybe being in a state of creativity is what leads to higher theta brainwaves. Or maybe a third factor—say, waking up early in the morning—both triggers a state of profound creativity and increases theta brainwaves. If either of these were true, listening to music could increase theta brainwaves without triggering a state of profound creativity.

A
takes for granted that there is a causal connection between the hippocampus and being in a state of profound creativity
The proposed causal connection is about theta brainwaves, not any particular part of the brain. The theta brainwaves occur in “many regions of the brain” aside from the hippocampus.
B
fails to consider that music is not necessary for one to be in a state of profound creativity
The columnist doesn’t assume this, so it can’t be the flaw. The columnist is saying that music is sufficient (if you have it, you’ll get a profound creative state), not that it’s necessary (you can’t have the state without music).
C
does not rule out the possibility that listening to music by means other than a tape recording also increases theta waves
Even if this were true, it wouldn’t be a flaw in the argument. It’s perfectly possible for the columnist to also believe that listening to music in different formats also increases theta waves.
D
ignores the possibility that an increase in theta waves may not always be accompanied by a state of profound creativity
The author assumes that the correlation between theta waves and states of profound creativity means that theta waves cause states of profound creativity. But
E
provides insufficient reasons to believe that people who are not in states of profound creativity have low levels of theta brain waves
The columnist's conclusion only concerns people who are in states of profound creativity. Also, the columnist's language is relative—increased brainwaves accompany states of profound creativity. So the alternative could be moderate, rather than low, levels of brainwaves.

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LSAT PrepTest 120 Explanations

Section 1 - Logical Reasoning

Section 2 - Reading Comprehension

Section 3 - Logical Reasoning

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

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