#18 - Specific Reference, Must Be True, Purpose/Function

[T.B.Justin]

The incorrect answer choice (A):

"It forms part of the author's summary of the benefits that have resulted from the technological developments described in the preceding paragraph."

Is incorrect, because (lines 50-52) its not these particular technological developments (preceding paragraph) but its the result of the general tendency of the market system (benefits of diffusion across society).

Is this the valid reason that (A) is wrong?

[Jay Donnell]

Hey!

In this passage, the first paragraph outlines the main causal argument:

New technological developments have narrowed the benefit gap (aka brought together the haves and the have-nots).


The second paragraph contains four examples of specific developments that have had this effect:

1) Printing press led to increase in literacy
2) PC and modem led to increased access to databases
3) Broadcast television has given us a cornucopia of entertainment
4) E-mail has greatly increased the powers of long-distance communication


The last paragraph also involves causal language, but of a very different type. It's not another example of a development that helped to bring society together, but rather a claim that helps us go one step deeper in the causal mechanism of the argument. We know that these developments help society, but this final paragraph allows us to learn why people are sharing this technology with the world in the first place.

By introducing the idea that a desire for profits helps explain/cause the widespread dissemination of these technologies, this paragraph helps strengthen the original thesis in paragraph one.

This perfectly matches the language of the correct response in D, and A fails as this last paragraph is not simply another example of these technologies and their benefits to society.

Hope that helps!

[snowy]

Hi! Can you confirm why C is wrong please? I did get D correct but I'm having trouble articulating why C is wrong (my other contender).

[Jay Donnell]

Hi snowy!

You're right to have had some lingering issues in getting rid of C, the phrasing is just plain weird.

One big knock on C (and vis a vis a nod to the correct answer in D) is that the last paragraph (and specifically the asked about reference to 'maximization of financial success') was very much part of the argument, and not as C says, a speculative hypothesis that was not part of an argument.

That last paragraph helps to pull back the causal chain of the thesis one step deeper. The author's main point that the spread of tech developments causes a decrease in the benefit gap across societies is helped by the knowledge that individuals/corporations choose to release those developments into the world in order to increase financial success, or as both teenagers and ducks say, 'get this bread.'

Answer choice C involves a fairly unusual argumentative strategy in that a portion of a passage essentially would serve as a idea or example, that though is unrelated to the actual argument in discussion, is meant to essentially advertise and garner interest in the primary topic. One actual example of this strategy more or less taking place is in the following LR question, where the analogy of auto maintenance is meant to invoke a level of understanding that furthers the actual argument involving hiring an economic adviser: lsat/viewtopic.php?f=507&t=1913

Hope that helped to clear it up some!

[annabelle.swift]

Hi! No need to respond, but I just wanted to give some positive feedback about Jay's response. It was super helpful to see an example from an actual LSAT question that does reflect what C is describing. Thank you for sharing!

[Stephanie Oswalt]

Hi! No need to respond, but I just wanted to give some positive feedback about Jay's response. It was super helpful to see an example from an actual LSAT question that does reflect what C is describing. Thank you for sharing!

Thanks, Annabelle! I will pass this along to Jay!