- PowerScore Staff
- Posts: 8950
- Joined: Feb 02, 2011
- Sat Jul 01, 2017 9:54 am
#36696
Complete Question Explanation
Strengthen—PR. The correct answer choice is (E)
This editorial has a very common LSAT structure of argumentation: the author begins by relaying an
assertion, immediately refutes the assertion, and then closes with a premise to support the refutation.
Specifically, the editorialist in this case discusses the suggested tactic of hiring private, for-profit
companies to bring clean water to areas of the world where it is currently unavailable. The author
concludes that water should not be supplied by private companies, and this assertion is based on the
premises that water is necessary for health, and the purpose of private companies is not to promote
health but rather to earn profits. The basis components of the editorialist’s argument can be broken
down as follows:
this case we are not required to find the answer choice that fully justifies the conclusion from the
stimulus; instead, we are asked to find the choice that most helps to justify the author’s conclusion.
Thus, this is a Strengthen question. Since this is a Principle question as well, the correct answer
choice in this case will provide a principle that lends strength to the assertion that private companies
should not be hired to supply clean water to areas where it is needed.
Answer choice (A): The principle presented in this incorrect answer choice is that private companies
should only be allowed to supply essentials that are also supplied by government agencies. This
would not strengthen the author’s argument, because water is a necessity that is often supplied by
such agencies. Since this choice fails to strengthen the author’s argument against private companies
as water suppliers, this cannot be the correct answer.
Answer choice (B): The stimulus does not deal with the lack of willingness or ability on the part of
private companies to supply water to areas where it is unavailable. The author is only concerned with
whether such companies should be hired to supply water, asserting that private companies should
not, because their primary motivation is profit creation.
Answer choice (C): This incorrect answer choice would work better if the author’s argument had
been based on private companies’ inability to supply safe, clean drinking water. However, author’s
argument is based on the premise that private companies would not be appropriate water suppliers
because they are primarily motivated by profits. Thus, this cannot be the correct answer choice.
Answer choice (D): The author’s argument, again, is that private companies are primarily motivated
by profits, so they should not be hired to supply water, a health necessity, to areas where it is
unavailable. The principle provided by this answer choice concerns promoting health, but fails to
strengthen the author’s argument that profit-motivated companies should not be hired for the purpose
of health promotion.
Answer choice (E): This is the correct answer choice. If, as this principle states, necessities for
human health (water included) should be provided by organizations whose primary purpose is the
promotion of health, this lends strength to the argument advanced in the stimulus. If this principle
is established, this strengthens the author’s assertion that private companies should not be the ones
to supply the needed water, since the primary motivation of such companies is to create profits, not
health.
Strengthen—PR. The correct answer choice is (E)
This editorial has a very common LSAT structure of argumentation: the author begins by relaying an
assertion, immediately refutes the assertion, and then closes with a premise to support the refutation.
Specifically, the editorialist in this case discusses the suggested tactic of hiring private, for-profit
companies to bring clean water to areas of the world where it is currently unavailable. The author
concludes that water should not be supplied by private companies, and this assertion is based on the
premises that water is necessary for health, and the purpose of private companies is not to promote
health but rather to earn profits. The basis components of the editorialist’s argument can be broken
down as follows:
- Premise: Water is necessary for human health.
Premise: The purpose of private companies is to produce profits, not to promote health.
Conclusion: Private companies should not be hired to supply water to areas of the world
where clean water is currently unavailable.
this case we are not required to find the answer choice that fully justifies the conclusion from the
stimulus; instead, we are asked to find the choice that most helps to justify the author’s conclusion.
Thus, this is a Strengthen question. Since this is a Principle question as well, the correct answer
choice in this case will provide a principle that lends strength to the assertion that private companies
should not be hired to supply clean water to areas where it is needed.
Answer choice (A): The principle presented in this incorrect answer choice is that private companies
should only be allowed to supply essentials that are also supplied by government agencies. This
would not strengthen the author’s argument, because water is a necessity that is often supplied by
such agencies. Since this choice fails to strengthen the author’s argument against private companies
as water suppliers, this cannot be the correct answer.
Answer choice (B): The stimulus does not deal with the lack of willingness or ability on the part of
private companies to supply water to areas where it is unavailable. The author is only concerned with
whether such companies should be hired to supply water, asserting that private companies should
not, because their primary motivation is profit creation.
Answer choice (C): This incorrect answer choice would work better if the author’s argument had
been based on private companies’ inability to supply safe, clean drinking water. However, author’s
argument is based on the premise that private companies would not be appropriate water suppliers
because they are primarily motivated by profits. Thus, this cannot be the correct answer choice.
Answer choice (D): The author’s argument, again, is that private companies are primarily motivated
by profits, so they should not be hired to supply water, a health necessity, to areas where it is
unavailable. The principle provided by this answer choice concerns promoting health, but fails to
strengthen the author’s argument that profit-motivated companies should not be hired for the purpose
of health promotion.
Answer choice (E): This is the correct answer choice. If, as this principle states, necessities for
human health (water included) should be provided by organizations whose primary purpose is the
promotion of health, this lends strength to the argument advanced in the stimulus. If this principle
is established, this strengthens the author’s assertion that private companies should not be the ones
to supply the needed water, since the primary motivation of such companies is to create profits, not
health.