Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Medium

PT106 S3 Q15 Explanation

Human beings have cognitive faculties

A free, expert breakdown of this official LSAT Logical Reasoning question.

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Stimulus

Human beings have cognitive faculties that are superior to those of other animals, and once humans become aware of these, they cannot be made happy by gratification of these faculties.

What this question is testing

Weaken

Your task

Find the choice that makes the argument's conclusion less likely to be true.

Common trap

Answers that look negative but attack a claim the argument never relied on.

Winning move

Find the assumption the argument depends on, then pick the choice that undermines it.

Reading along? Open the full official question in LawHub — we show a fragment here and keep the reasoning in our own words.

The question
15.

Which one of the following statements, if true, most calls into question

Answer choices

  1. No Impact7% picked this

    Certain animals—dolphins and chimpanzees, for example—appear to be capable of

    This seems to be trying to push back against the idea that humans have superior mental faculties but doesn't do a great job of doing so. Certain animals like dolphins and chimpanzees being capable of rational communication doesn't undermine the idea that humans still have some special cognitive faculties relative to other animals.

  2. Correct74% picked this

    Many people familiar both with intellectual stimulation and with physical pleasures enjoy

    Why this is right

    This directly challenges the idea that only the gratification of higher cognitive faculties can make humans happy once they are aware of that ability. These people are aware of the higher faculties (intellectual stimulation) but still enjoy the lower faculties (physical pleasure) more.

    Skill tested: Weaken · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

  3. No Impact3% picked this

    Someone who never experienced classical music as a child will usually prefer popular music

    Since this person hasn't yet been exposed to their higher faculties (i.e. classical music), it's not surprising to the author that they still prefer lower stuff (i.e. pop music). It would only push back against the author if someone experienced classical music and fell in love with it, but still preferred pop music.

  4. No Impact9% picked this

    Many people who are serious athletes consider themselves to

    Many athletes considering themselves happy does not necessarily contrast with the argument unless it is specified that their happiness comes from lower cognitive faculties, as opposed to intellectual gratification. This answer doesn't say that playing sports (a lower pleasure) is what makes them happy. (Nor does it establish that they ever became aware of their higher faculties).

  5. No Impact6% picked this

    Many people who are serious athletes love

    Gourmet food seems more like an example of higher faculties making you happy, so if anything this matches what the author is thinking.

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