LSAT 141 – Section 4 – Question 03

LSAT 141 - Section 4 - Question 03

September 2014

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Question QuickView	Type	Tags	Answer Choices	Curve	Question Difficulty	Psg/Game/S Difficulty	Explanation
PT141 S4 Q03	+LR	Flaw or descriptive weakening +Flaw Causal Reasoning +CausR Sampling +Smpl	A 1% 152 B 12% 159 C 0% 150 D 1% 151 E 86% 163	122 136 151	+Easier	147.542 +SubsectionMedium

Moore: Sunscreen lotions, which are designed to block skin-cancer-causing ultraviolet radiation, do not do so effectively. Many scientific studies have shown that people who have consistently used these lotions develop, on average, as many skin cancers as those who have rarely, if ever, used them.

Summarize Argument

Moore concludes that sunscreens meant to block cancer-causing UV radiation aren't effective. She supports this by pointing out that studies show that people who use these lotions regularly get as many skin cancers as those who rarely use them.

Identify and Describe Flaw

Moore compares two groups: people who use sunscreen regularly and those who use it rarely or never. She concludes that sunscreen is ineffective because both groups get the same amount of skin cancer. However, she assumes the only difference between the groups is sunscreen use, ignoring other potentially relevant factors, like sun exposure or genetic predisposition to skin cancer.

takes for granted that there are no other possible health benefits of using sunscreen lotions other than blocking skin-cancer-causing ultraviolet radiation

Moore’s argument is only about whether the sunscreen lotions effectively block cancer-causing UV radiation. Whether they have other health benefits is irrelevant.

fails to distinguish between the relative number of cases of skin cancer and the severity of those cases in measuring effectiveness at skin cancer prevention

This is true, but it doesn’t weaken Moore’s argument. She argues that sunscreen doesn’t effectively block UV radiation because sunscreen users get skin cancer just as much as non-users. The severity of those cases is irrelevant.

fails to consider the effectiveness of sunscreen lotions that are not specifically designed to block skin-cancer-causing ultraviolet radiation

Moore’s conclusion only addresses sunscreen lotions that are specifically designed to block cancer-causing UV radiation. The effectiveness of any other sunscreen lotions is irrelevant.

relies on evidence regarding the probability of people in different groups developing cancer that, in principle, would be impossible to challenge

The evidence that Moore cites may not support her conclusion well, but there’s no reason to believe that it would be impossible to challenge.

overlooks the possibility that people who consistently use sunscreen lotions spend more time in the sun, on average, than people who do not

Moore concludes that sunscreen is ineffective because both sunscreen users and non-users get the same amount of skin cancer. She overlooks the possibility that there might be some other relevant difference between these groups, like sunscreen users spending more time in the sun.

Cookie Cutters
68.3.01
64.1.13
57.3.18
55.3.09
39.2.05
25.4.24

LSAT PrepTest 141 Explanations

Section 1 - Reading Comprehension

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Reading Comprehension

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

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