Logical Reasoning

PT119 · S2 · Q18 Many physicists claim that quantum

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

  • Save & drill this skill — build targeted practice sets from questions like this one

  • Video walkthroughs — watch every question solved step by step

  • 81 official LSATs — as questions, timed sections & full-length tests

Start practicing free

Many physicists claim that quantum mechanics may ultimately be able to explain all fundamental phenomena, and that, therefore, physical theory will soon be complete.

Conclusion (for this reason)

We can expect that quantum mechanics will not be the final theory.

Evidence

Every theory in the history of physics that was thought to be the final theory eventually had to be rejected for failure to explain some new observation.

Evaluate

This argument is essentially a argument, so we probably don't need to bother diagramming this.

The author is saying, .

Goal

Let's look for something like, .

18.

Which one of the following arguments is most similar in its reasoning to the argument above?

  1. Only a few species of

    No Temporal Comparison

    This argument makes a move from "since few live in place X, few can survive in place X". That has nothing to do with, "since X was true for past cases, X will probably be true in this case".

    0% picked this

  2. Four companies have marketed a

    No Temporal Comparison

    This argument makes a move from "since other things are doing X, this thing will not do X". That has nothing to do with, "since X was true for past cases, X will probably be true in this case".

    5% picked this

  3. Correct

    Your sister is a very

    Why this is right

    This argument makes a temporal move from "since she has never won before, she will not win this time". That matches up with, "since X was true for past cases, X will probably be true in this case". Since "not-winning tournament" was true for past chess tournaments, "not-winning tournament" will be true for this chess tournament.

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

    71% picked this

  4. A rare virus infected a

    Wrong Temporal Comparison

    This argument makes a temporal move from "since this thing did X a decade ago, this same thing will not do X now." We wanted a temporal move from "since X was true for past cases, X probably will be true in this similar, but different case".

    2% picked this

  5. Each team member has failed

    Wrong Temporal Comparison

    This argument makes a Part to Whole move from "since each member of the team was X in the past, the team itself will be X (in the future)." This would introduce a flaw that wasn't present in the original argument, so it's definitely not the best available answer choice.

    22% picked this

Continue the review in LSAT Lab

Save this question, watch the video walkthrough, and drill similar questions in your LSAT Lab account.

Save and practice this skill
LSAT Lab

Turn this review into a targeted study plan.

Save this question, drill more like it, watch the video walkthrough, and track your progress in your LSAT Lab account.

Start practicing free