Logical Reasoning

PT126 · S4 · Q6 Commentator: In many countries the

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

Commentator: In many countries the influence of fringe movements is increasing.

Conclusion (hence)

Modern culture threatens the national identities that now exist in the world.

Evidence

Modern culture reflects the increasing influence of fringe movements, giving us new fashions, ideologies, religions, artistic movements, economic theories, cults, and dogmas at a rapid rate.

Evaluate

Given that … modern culture contains an increasing plurality of points of view, each with its own aesthetics / ideas / rules / beliefs.

How can we still argue that … modern culture does not threaten the national identities that exist in the world?

Maybe we could argue that the more your country seems to fragment into a thousand difference sub communities, the more you need a national identity to tie everyone together.

Goal

Let’s look for any answer that can help us argue that,

Which one of the following statements, if true, most seriously weakens the commentator's argument?

New national identities are often
Strengthens
In the highly pluralistic and diverse modern culture being described, you’d be likely to see conflicts among diverse groups. According to this answer, that can lead to a new national identity, so this strengthens the author’s case that the existing national identities are threatened.
6% picked this
Correct
A stable national identity is
Why this is right
This allows us to argue that our national identities are not threatened. The opposite of a threatened identity is a stable one, and this answer is saying, “Yo, author — most stable national identities have a dizzying array of subcultures like what you just described. So the fact that we have such a staggering number of subcultures isn’t good evidence that national identities are threatened.” In a more formal sense, the author’s reasoning move was if modern culture brings then modern culture staggering number ? threatens national of subcultures identities To weaken this move, choice (B) is showing that the left side is very frequently compatible with the opposite of the right side.
Skill tested: Weaken · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.
80% picked this
The rate of cultural change
Unclear Impact
When answers tell us that stuff fluctuates or that one thing is different from another, it’s often too wishy-washy to make any difference. The fact that rates of cultural change in most countries will soon change drastically is a very strong idea, but change in which direction? It will get even faster, thus adding to the author’s concern? Or it will get much slower, thus subtracting from the author’s concern? If we don’t know whether an answer will strengthen or weaken, then we shouldn’t pick it.
2% picked this
It is preferable to have
No Impact: preferable
This argument has nothing to do with judgments over whether the current national identities are better / worse than are the new fringe movements that are potentially threatening them. We’re only analyzing whether or not national identities are threatened, not whether or not that’s a good / bad thing. To the extent that this is saying it’s preferable to have pluralism, it could strengthen the idea that the rise in pluralism will lead to different / better national cultures.
4% picked this
A culture with a solidified
No Impact: social problems
Just like (B), “Stable / solidified” national identity is the logical opposite of a threatened identity. But whereas (B) connects this idea to the premise (staggering number of subcultures), this answer connect this idea to an out of scope concept (more social problems) that doesn’t have any clear relationship to the premise.
8% 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