#6 - Engineer: Some people argue that the world’s energy

[elij]

why is D The correct answer. I thought E was correct.

[Nikki Siclunov]

Hi elij,

Thanks for your question. The reason why answer choice (E) is incorrect is that (E) is not the main point of the argument; it is a premise upon which the conclusion depends. Let's take a look at how the argument is structured:

Argument 1

• Premise: Helium-3 can be used for fuel in fusion reactors
  
  Conclusion: We can solve our energy problems by mining the Moon for helium-3

Counterargument:

• Premise 1: Even if it's possible to mine the Moon, the technology to build the reactors is at least 50 years away.
  
  Premise 2: By then, it's gonna be too late to solve our problems.
  
  Conclusion: "...this is nonsense," i.e. we can't solve our energy problems by mining the Moon for helium-3

The very last sentence supports the author's belief that the proposed solution is a silly one, which makes that sentence a premise, and not a conclusion. Typically, when you have a stimulus begin with an argument held by "some people," we can expect that the author's argument will be the direct opposite of theirs. And indeed, this is the case here: the conclusion ("this is nonsense") is in reference to the proposed solution. Answer choice (D) captures this idea, and is therefore correct.

Don't expect the conclusion to be given at the end of the stimulus: this is a rookie mistake. Especially in Main Point question, they will almost never put it there (that would be just too obvious).

Hope this helps!

[lsatnoobie]

I ruled out D because while mining the Moon for helium-3 is not a possible solution to the world’s energy problems, how can we say for sure that it won’t be a possible solution 50 years from now (for example sentence 3 where it says the technology needed is at least 50 years away).

The stimulus seems to suggest that it is a possible solution, just one that isn’t viable for another 50 years. This is why I chose A since it included the word “currently.”

I still can’t seem to understand why A is correct. Could you help?

[James Finch]

Hi LSATnoobie,

A Main Point question is asking for a restatement of the conclusion given in the stimulus. To make this more difficult, the test makers will do their best to disguise that conclusion, but there are only so many ways to so. With this question, we are given an argument (as Nikki laid out in the post above), followed by an immediate rebuttal of that original argument. Stimuli that are composed this way often have a short conclusory statement denying the truth or legitimacy of the original argument, which is then followed by premises supporting the counter-argument. This is what we're dealing with in this question.

This means that our conclusion here is actually the rebuttal statement denying the truth of the original argument. The premises to support this rebuttal are ultimately irrelevant for a main point question; we are only concerned with restating the rebuttal so that it makes sense as a conclusion when written on its own, not in determining or modifying its validity. The way to do that is to negate the conclusion of the original argument we are given. Here that looks like:

Original Conclusion: The world's energy problems could be solved by mining the moon for helium-3.

Rebuttal Conclusion: This is nonsense.

Restated conclusion: The world's energy problems cannot be solved by mining the moon for helium-3.

This question type really lends itself to Prephrasing: this restated conclusion is very close to answer choice (D).

Hope this clears things up!

[quinnd]

I'm having a problem with the temporal element in this question. I chose answer choice A given it is more grounded in the stimulus and is a plausible conclusion of the Engineer. In particular, the Engineer's premises provide the statements necessary for it to pass the Fact Test: "technology needed... at least 50 years away."

On the other hand, the credited response (D) does not appear to me to pass the Fact Test. The problem I have with it is the word "possible." Saying that something is not possible more or less implies that this is the case for all time unless something else occurs (I would think this consequence would fall under the category of Common Sense for MBT questions, of which Main Points are derivative). However, the Engineer concedes "Even if it were possible..." In this way, while he's not optimistic, he certainly doesn't quash the possibility. Hence, in my view, this choice didn't pass the Fact Test.

Perhaps I'm being too black and white with respect to how I judge answer choices against the Fact Test? Please let me know so I can make the proper adjustment moving forward.

Thanks,

Quinn

[James Finch]

Hi Quinn,

The Fact Test is used to make sure that you're not subconsciously bringing in outside information to a question, akin to another premise, unless the question type calls for it (Strengthen/Weaken, Assumption, etc). As a Main Point question, there won't be any outside information, but instead you're being asked to restate the conclusion. That conclusion, in turn, is obscured as a rebuttal to a claim made by others; it has to be restated to be understood anyway, as "This is nonsense" means nothing outside of the context in which it is said. We need to know what the speaker thinks is nonsense.

And what is the nonsense being referred to? It is the claim by others that mining helium-3 can solve the planet's energy problems. Restated it could say:

It is nonsense to think that mining helium-3 can solve the planet's energy problems

So that's our conclusion, and our answer, (D), to the question. It is in fact present in the stimulus, just obscured, so answer choice (D) does pass the Fact Test. (A) does as well, but operates as a premise, rather than the conclusion of the stimulus's argument.

Hope this clears things up!