Argument EvaluationDiff: Easy
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: John is worried about getting bone cancer because a study found that male rats get it from drinking fluoride, so he thinks quitting fluoride is a guaranteed way to stay safe.
Conclusion: John believes he must stop drinking fluoridated water to ensure he does not develop bone cancer.
Reasoning: A study showed that fluoridated water caused bone cancer in 90 percent of male laboratory rats, though female rats were unaffected.
Analysis: John makes a massive leap from laboratory rats to humans, assuming that what happens to one species necessarily happens to another. He also treats fluoride as the sole cause of bone cancer, claiming that avoiding it will make him 'sure' to avoid the disease. Look for an answer that points out this jump in logic or the failure to consider other causes of cancer. It is a classic case of over-extrapolating from a limited study.
Conclusion: John believes he must stop drinking fluoridated water to ensure he does not develop bone cancer.
Reasoning: A study showed that fluoridated water caused bone cancer in 90 percent of male laboratory rats, though female rats were unaffected.
Analysis: John makes a massive leap from laboratory rats to humans, assuming that what happens to one species necessarily happens to another. He also treats fluoride as the sole cause of bone cancer, claiming that avoiding it will make him 'sure' to avoid the disease. Look for an answer that points out this jump in logic or the failure to consider other causes of cancer. It is a classic case of over-extrapolating from a limited study.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage2.Which one of the following is the strongest criticism of John's reasoning?
Correct Answer
E
E directly undercuts the claim of certainty. If there are other causes of bone cancer, then stopping fluoridated water cannot make John “sure” he won’t develop it.
Upgrade Your Prep
Ready to go beyond free explanations?
LSAT Perfection is the #1 modern LSAT prep platform, trusted by thousands of students for comprehensive test strategies, advanced drilling, and full analytics on every PrepTest.
Detailed explanations for 59 PrepTests
Advanced drillset builder
Personalized analytics
Built-in Wrong Answer Journal