#25 - Many conceptual categories are parts of dichotomous

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

Parallel Flaw. The correct answer choice is (B).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice.

Answer choice (C):

Answer choice (D):

Answer choice (E):

This explanation is still in progress. Please post any questions below!

[mpoulson]

Hello,

I narrowed down my answer choices to A and B. However, I wrongly chose A. Yet, upon further review I couldn't see specifically what the issue was. Can you explain what makes A incorrect and B right? Thank you.

- Micah

[Nikki Siclunov]

Hi Micah,

Please provide a detailed breakdown of how you understood the argument. At the very least, we expect to see evidence that you were able to:

• Deconstruct the stimulus into premises/conclusion.
• Understand whether the conclusion logically follows from the premises, and if not - why not?
• Correctly identify the type of question in the stem.
• Prephrase an answer to that question. (Don't be afraid if your prephrase was off - we still need to see what it was).
• Defend your choice of (incorrect) answer choice.

The more you tell us about your method of approach, the better we can help you figure it out.

Thanks!

[wwhite103]

I did not understand how to work through this question at all and was wondering if someone could walk me through the thought process or diagramming if there was a diagram they did with it? I have read it over and over again and just don't see how any of the answers really make sense.

[Adam Tyson]

Thanks for the question, WWhite - just wondering, should we call you Heisenberg?

This is a Parallel Flaw question, where the goal is to find an answer with the same type of flaw as in the stimulus. The starting place, then, is to identify what that flaw is.

We don't have any obvious causal or conditional language here, nothing about if/then or something producing something else. We also don't have any obvious numbers/percentages issues, or a formal logic issue. So, instead of looking for a particular type of reasoning or a diagram, try looking at the argument in more abstract terms.

The author argues that because we have some evidence against a claim (recent studies show some things that are neither plant nor animal, but have characteristics of both, for example) that we should reject that claim altogether. That's a pretty classic type of evidence flaw - some evidence against a claim is taken as proof that claim is false, or some evidence for a claim is taken as proof that the claim is true, etc. A type of overgeneralization, perhaps? So, look for that in the answers - find the one that uses "some" to prove "all".

Answer B fills the bill perfectly - some drugs in a certain category are a problem, so throw out the whole category.

This "abstract structure" approach works well on most any parallel reasoning question, whether flawed or valid. While there are other approaches that may be more powerful and obvious on many parallel questions, I always like to keep this one running in the background to double check myself. When a question like this pops us, where abstract structure may be the best angle of attack, I've already got it ready to deploy. Try that and see if it works for you on other similar questions.

Good luck! Soon, when it comes to the LSAT, you will be the one who knocks! (Boy, I hope your username is a Breaking Bad reference - otherwise these cracks will look totally nuts)

[wwhite103]

Adam Tyson,

Finally made it back around to this question, thanks for your response. Looks like I was making this one more complicated than it needed to be.

Totally not a Breaking Bad reference.. That's actually my last name and first initial, but I love Breaking Bad and could use Heisenberg's smarts for this so I have no objections to being called that