LR Conditional Reasoning Question #2 - FDA Therapy Transfer

[Jon Denning]

Taken from: lsat/viewtopic.php?f=702&t=11025

Must Be True—SN. The correct answer choice is (B)

The stimulus of this problem provides a brief overview of some of the processes surrounding new therapeutic agents. We are told that the FDA regulates the introduction of such agents into the marketplace, but that academic and government research communities engage in the discovery and testing of such agents. The last sentence of the stimulus begins with the necessary condition indicator “Only” and contains the following conditional relationship:

• HP = Help patients T = Transfer
  
  HP T

Stimuli containing conditional reasoning in combination with a Must Be True question stem very frequently produce contrapositive answer choices. As a student, when you see conditional reasoning and then encounter a Must Be True question, you should search the answer choices for a contrapositive, while at the same time avoiding Mistaken Reversals and Mistaken Negations.

Answer choice (A): While the stimulus states that the FDA “regulates the introduction of new therapeutic agents,” there is no information provided to indicate that the FDA regulates those agents thereafter.

Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice, which predictably contains the contrapositive of the last sentence of the stimulus:

• T HP

Answer choice (C): The stimulus states that the research community engages in the long process of initial discovery and clinical testing, but the stimulus does not indicate that the research community is responsible for the length of the period.

Answer choice (D): The author does not make a recommendation to the effect that the FDA “should work more closely” with researchers. As this answer fails the Fact Test, it is incorrect.

Answer choice (E): This answer choice is quite attractive, and it is chosen by a high percentage of students. However, this answer choice is a Mistaken Reversal of the last sentence of the stimulus, and is therefore incorrect:

• HP = Help patients T = Transfer
  
  T HP

One question that comes up in relation to this question is, “Do I have to diagram the conditional statement in the stimulus?” The answer is, “It is your decision.” Not every conditional statement needs to be diagrammed. Early in the course we recommend that you develop the ability to diagram any statement both quickly and accurately because there will be questions you encounter where you need to rely on your diagramming skills. After you have mastered diagramming, the choice of whether to diagram certain statements is yours. Some students diagram almost all the statements they encounter because it becomes second nature, whereas others diagram only when they feel there are too many variables to track. This particular question is a perfect example of a problem where you could skip diagramming if you felt you perfectly understood the relationship in the last sentence. Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to diagram is up to you, but make sure you are a master of diagramming before you start choosing to not diagram.