Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Easy

PT124 S3 Q6 Explanation

Ornithologist: This bird species

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

TopicsFlaw

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Stimulus

Ornithologist: This bird species is widely thought to subsist primarily on vegetation, but my research shows that this belief is erroneous. While concealed in a well-camouflaged blind, I have observed hundreds of these birds every morning over a period of months, and I consisted of insects and other animal food sources.

What this question is testing

Flaw

Your task

Describe the reasoning error the argument actually commits.

Common trap

Answers that name a real logical flaw the argument doesn't actually make.

Winning move

Articulate the gap in the reasoning yourself, then match it to the choice that describes that gap.

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

The question
6.

The reasoning in the ornithologist's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds

Answer choices

  1. Contradiction6% picked this

    assumes, without providing justification, that the feeding behavior of the birds observed was not affected by the

    The ornithologist does provide justification that the bird’s feeding behavior was not affected by the act of observation. The blind was well-camouflaged.

  2. Out of Scope3% picked this

    fails to specify the nature of the animal food sources, other than insects, that were

    The nature of animal food sources, other than insects, is not relevant to the argument. So long as they are animal food sources, they are not vegetation.

  3. Contradiction5% picked this

    adopts a widespread belief about the birds' feeding habits without considering the evidence that led

    The argument attacks a widespread belief about the birds’ feeding habits without considering the evidence that led to the belief.

  4. Correct81% picked this

    neglects the possibility that the birds have different patterns of food consumption during different parts of

    Why this is right

    This points out the issue that this species of bird may not eat the same thing throughout the day.

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

  5. Strengthen5% picked this

    fails to consider the possibility that the birds' diet has changed since the earlier belief about

    If the diet has changed since the earlier belief about their diet was formed, this might support the argument’s conclusion.

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