Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Medium

PT118 S3 Q8 Explanation

Figorian Wildlife Commission: The development

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

TopicsPrinciple-Strengthen

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Full official LSAT questions are available through LawHub. This page provides LSAT Lab's explanation, strategy, and review tools without republishing the full official question.

Stimulus

Figorian Wildlife Commission: The development of wetlands in industrialized nations for residential and commercial uses has endangered many species. To protect wildlife we must regulate such development in Figoria: future wetland development must be offset by the construction of replacement wetland habitats. Thus, development pose no threat to the species that inhabit them.

Figorian Development Commission: Other nations have flagrantly developed wetlands at the expense of wildlife. We have conserved. Since Figorian wetland development might not affect wildlife and is necessary for growth, we should allow development. We have as much right to govern already put their natural resources to commercial use.

What this question is testing

Principle-Strengthen

The Two Sides

The Wildlife Commission wants to regulate up front: any new wetland development must come with a replacement habitat. The Development Commission says Figoria has already played nice while other nations have not, the development "might not" affect wildlife, and growth requires it — so let development happen.

Evaluate

The Development Commission is essentially saying: do not regulate until you actually see harm. Figoria has not yet caused harm; the proposed development might cause none either. So regulation is not yet warranted.

Goal

The principle we want is one that says: regulation kicks in only after observed harm — not before. That fits the Development Commission's "wait and see" stance and supports their position over the precautionary one the Wildlife Commission is taking.

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The question
8.

Which one of the following principles, if accepted, would most strongly support the Figorian Development Commission’s position against the

Answer choices

  1. Bad Match3% picked this

    National resources should be regulated by international agreement when wildlife

    "International agreement" never enters the dispute. Both sides are arguing about what Figoria itself should do under its own laws, not what international bodies should impose. Even if true, this principle does not give the Development Commission an edge over the Wildlife Commission.

  2. Opposite3% picked this

    The right of future generations to have wildlife preserved supersedes the economic needs

    If the right of future generations to wildlife trumps current economic needs, that is a reason against developing wetlands for growth. This supports the Wildlife Commission, not the Development Commission. We need a principle that helps the Development Commission's pro-development position.

  3. Correct79% picked this

    Only when a reduction of populations of endangered species by commercial development has been found should regulation be

    Why this is right

    This says regulation should be implemented only after a population reduction by commercial development has been found. That is exactly the principle the Development Commission is leaning on. Figoria has not yet developed its wetlands, and the proposed development "might not" affect wildlife — so under this principle no regulation is yet warranted, and Figoria should be allowed to develop.

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

  4. Opposite11% picked this

    Environment regulation must aim at preventing any further environmental damage and cannot allow for the different degrees to which different nations

    This principle says regulation must aim at preventing any further damage and cannot account for which nations have already harmed the environment. That is a precautionary, no-exceptions stance — which lines up with the Wildlife Commission's call for mandatory regulation, not the Development Commission's case for letting Figoria develop.

  5. Opposite4% picked this

    It is imprudent to allow further depletion of

    If it is imprudent to allow further depletion of natural resources, then we should not allow new wetland development. That supports the Wildlife Commission's call for regulation — the very opposite of the Development Commission's position.

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