Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Hard

PT4 S1 Q18 Explanation

The question whether intelligent life

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

TopicsMethod

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Stimulus

The question whether intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is certainly imprecise, because we are not sure how different from us something might be and still count as “intelligent life.” Yet we cannot just decide to define “intelligent life” in some more precise way since it is likely that we will only if we leave our definitions open to new, unimagined possibilities.

What this question is testing

Method

Your task

Describe how the argument proceeds — the technique it uses to reach its conclusion.

Common trap

Answers that describe a method the argument doesn't actually use.

Winning move

Track the role each statement plays, then match that to the choice describing the same moves.

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The question
18.

The passage, if seen as an objection to an antecedent claim, challenges

Answer choices

  1. Trap1% picked this

    Showing the claim to be irrelevant to the issue

  2. Trap2% picked this

    Citing examples that fail to fit a proposed definition of

  3. Trap37% picked this

    Claiming that “intelligent life” cannot be

  4. Correct58% picked this

    Arguing that the claim, if acted on, would

    Why this is right

    Answer D is correct.

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

  5. Trap1% picked this

    Maintaining that the claim is not supported by the

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