#14 - Must Be True

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation
(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=10516)

The correct answer choice is (B)

From the discussion of Passage Similarities and Differences above, we know that the author of passage B is more skeptical of evolutionary psychology than is the author of passage A.

Answer choice (A): It is the author of passage B, not passage A, who is particularly interested in examining the logical implications of evolutionary psychology (i.e. the inferences that stem from adopting evolutionary explanations). This is a Reverse answer choice.

Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice. The author of passage B is more skeptical of evolutionary psychology than is the author of passage A, who is clearly more committed to its principles.

Answer choice (C): As with answer choice (A), this is a Reverse answer choice. It is the author of passage B, not passage A, who is more willing to consider explanations that fall outside the scope of evolutionary psychology: “Not all of one’s motives can be instrumental, after all; there must be some things that one cares for just for their own sakes” (lines 64-66).

Answer choice (D): This answer choice was twice as attractive as the correct answer choice, attracting 53% of the test takers compared to the 29% who chose answer choice (B). Although the author of passage B is clearly more skeptical of evolutionary psychology than is the author of passage A, this skepticism does not necessarily extend to the field of evolutionary theory in general. This is a great example of an answer choice that requires close reading and attention to detail.

Answer choice (E): Neither author pays any attention to the motives of evolutionary psychologists.

[alee]

Hi,

Regarding question 14, how do we differentiate between the incorrect answer:

(D): The author of passage B is more skeptical of evolutionary theory in general than the author of passage A is

From the correct answer:

(B): The Author of passage A is more committed to the principles of evolutionary psychology than the author of passage B is

When I came across this in test conditions, they really seemed like 2 ways of saying the same thing.



Thanks guys!

[Steve Stein]

Hi Alee,

Thanks for your questions. For the benefit of others using the forum, it would be helpful if you would post questions individually, in separate posts.

Question 14 highlights the point that one subtle shift in wording can often eliminate an incorrect answer choice:

(D): The author of passage B is more skeptical of evolutionary theory in general than the author of passage A is.

Versus correct answer choice A:

(B): The Author of passage A is more committed to the principles of evolutionary psychology than the author of passage B is.

It's an important point that you have brought up, so please let me know whether everything is clear--thanks!

~Steve

[alee]

Thanks Steve,

Yes, I read it whilst missing completely the evolutionary psychology/evolutionary theory in general distinction, as you clearly pointed out, passage B isn't skeptical about evolutionary theory in general, but it is skeptical about applying an evolutionary psychology to explaining certain phenomena.

Also I'll post the other question as a separate one, no worries

[miruke]

Hello,

On question 14.I choose E but i don't get why B is more correct then E or A because in a sense passage B i felt since he was skeptical about the evolutionary psychology he was also critical?

Thanks!

[Robert Carroll]

miruke,

In Question 14, answer choice (E) says "the author of passage B is more critical of the motives of evolutionary psychologists than the author of passage A is." Being critical of the theory is not the same as being critical of the motives. Passage B is skeptical of the theory itself, because it seems to be based on a logical fallacy (see my discussion of question 19), but the author of passage B does not suggest that the adherents of evolutionary psychology have insincere motives. That information is simply not in the passage.

Answer choice (A) is wrong because Passage B does discuss the logical implications of the theory by showing how it involves a logical fallacy.

Answer choice (B) is correct because the author of Passage A presents the theory as a good way to explain at least some behavior, whereas the author of Passage B is hesitant to adopt the evolutionary psychology explanation where other explanations may be present.

Let me know if you have any further questions!

Robert

[swong1267]

Hi,

I'm still confused on why B is better than D. I see that D is very broad, in that it says "evolutionary theory in general," but isn't B also very broad because it addresses the principles of evolutionary psychology?

Thanks!

[Francis O'Rourke]

Hi Swong,

I understand what you are saying about answer choices (B) and (D) both addressing 'very broad' topics. The difference is that answer choice (D) is too broad.

Since both passages discussed evolutionary psychology, answer choice (B) is narrow enough to describe a difference between the authors' approaches on that particular subject. Since neither author commented on evolutionary theory in general, answer choice (D) is too broad: we do not know Passage B's opinion on evolutionary theory's non-psychological claims.

[Khodi7531]

I have a bone to pick with the reasoning to get rid of D. So I noticed D had stated, "in general" and was also hesitant to select B because of the "principles" its referring to. I just felt like that was a stretch and not really supported


D - I get how general might be too broad and thus too strong, I think it is supported. Because the author of passage B starts the first paragraph by going into why Evolutionary psychology is a "conspiracy theory". I just thought that it could be supported, given that B was also talking about "principles".

Sucks getting these wrong when you think you have the reasoning to get rid of one over the other, and select the wrong one on a 50/50 - story of my life.

[Adam Tyson]

We hear that a lot about getting it down to two contenders, khodi, so take heart in knowing you aren't alone. Here's how to get it from two down to just one - focus on what makes them different. It's that difference that makes one better than the other. In this case, the difference is that answer B is about evolutionary psychology, while answer D is about general evolutionary theory. Why does that difference matter? Because this passage is only about evolutionary psychology! For all we know, author B is Charles Darwin himself, loving the theory of evolution in general, being all about "survival of the fittest" and organisms changing slowly over time due to genetic mutations in isolated populations, etc. It's just this one idea that bugs him, as far as we know.

Getting it down to two contenders is frequently the easy part. It's at that point that the real analysis takes place. Focus on the differences, and on what the stimulus tasked you with doing, and use those differences to show that one answer accomplishes that task better than the other. Don't help one answer, or argue for against an answer, but just determine why and how that difference matters. That should reduce the number of times that 50/50 situation comes up on the bad side for you.

Good luck, keep pounding!